This Won't Mean A Thing Come Tomorrow
by paranoid these days
Summary: who knew being in love with your best friend could make you grow into an insomniac? will/warren. i suck at summaries. i know everyone says that, but trust me. you're better off just reading it.
1. Chapter 1

**so i was listening to music when Yellowcard's "Light Up The Sky" came on. i stopped in my poor karaoke rendition of the song and said to myself, "oh my gumdrops! this is a Warren song! how did i not see it before?!" and that, if anyone cared, was how this story came to be. **

_"It's still so hard to be who you are/ So you play this part/ The show goes on/ You've come this far with a broken heart/ Yeah, you've come this far and you're broken...."_

"Light Up The Sky" by Yellowcard

**Prologue**

Warren had been staring at the angry red numbers on his alarm clock so long he was rather surprised when 3:42 changed to 3:43. He would cut his hair off for some sleep right now. This was about the fourth night this had been going on. He hugged his pillow to his chest and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to get them to stay that way for longer than a few seconds. His cell phone vibrated against his thigh. He'd left it by his pillow, but with all his tossing and turning, he'd ended up moving it nearer to his legs. Warren checked to number.

"Will."

The Stronghold in question let out a breathy, sleepy laugh. "Hey. I thought you'd be up. Wasn't sure, though, so I had to check."

Warren laughed as well. "What if I _had_ been asleep?"

"Well, if you had, I'd pray you'd 1) be too tired from all your sleepless nights to pick up the phone, 2) be so tired you'd only pick up the phone after I hung up, or 3) be too tired tomorrow to kill me."

"Did you plan that answer?"

Warren knew Will was running his hand through his hair like he always did to keep awake. "Yeah, I have some cue cards in front of me." He could hear the smile in his voice. "So, anyway, I called to talk you to sleep."

"Smart. Layla did the same thing. Didn't work."

Will tsked. "That girl... is always a step ahead of me."

"Yup, she is," Warren agreed fondly. "Thanks anyway."

"Eh, what're friends for?"

Will covered his mouth with his free hand as he yawned, but Warren heard it anyway.

"Will, go to sleep, I'll see you tomorrow."

"No way," Will argued, wanting to continue talking to his best friend, even if only to hear the two of them on first name terms. They often called each other at night, when walls and guards were down, and the words flowed even easier than usual, nearly asleep babble escaping their lips as if they were drunk. Sometimes they wouldn't say anything, just listening to each other breathing. It was a bit of an unspoken agreement between the two; once back at school, Warren was back to the look-at-me-funny-and-I'll-shove-your-head-through-the-nearest-wall with people he didn't know, and sarcasm seeping out of his pores with his friends, and Will was back to happy-go-lucky-prep-with-great-friends-great-grades-hot-girlfriend Will Stronghold. And they'd be back to calling each other by last names. It sucked, but thus was life. At night, when they couldn't see each other, when there was no one around, when the only thing between them was whispered, tender conversations, and they were what real best friends were.

"Dude, you're falling asleep on me, I can feel it," warren told him bluntly. "It's okay, it's almost four, ten I'll get up and work out. I don't even try to sleep after the sun comes up."

Will sighed, admiting defeat. "Fine," he groaned. "I'll see you in school then."

"Alright, I'll see you, Will."

He waited for Will to hang up. Warren shook his head, a smile playing on his lips, and shut his phone. 3:59. He waited for the numbers to change again, and then got up for a cup of coffee.

_I just wanna be where you are tonight._

**and that's the prologue!!! hope you guys liked it, and hope you felt the implied slash, because that's the vaguest i've ever been in any of my stories. review for the next chapter, i've already got it planned, but it will never see the light of day without someone telling me if this is any good. i have the worst inferiority complex you will ever see, i swear on pudding. **


	2. Chapter 2

**yay, me gots two reviewers!!!! *does happy dance* i was going to wait a week before posting again, but me+reviews=happy and inspired. so here's the next chapter. **

_Load up on guns/ Bring your friends/ It's fun to lose and to pretend/ She's overboard/ Self-assured/ I know, I know/ A dirty word/ Hello, hello, hello, how low/ Hello, hello, hello, how low/ Hello, hello, hello, how low/ Hello, hello, hello/ With the lights out/ It's less dangerous/ Here we are now/ Entertain us/ I feel stupid and contagious/ Here we are now/ Entertain us..."_

"Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana

**Chapter One**

Let's get one thing straight: Warren Peace didn't _do_ romance. The closest thing he'd ever come doing anything close to romance was him playfully lighting a candle at the Paper Lantern when he sat down with Layla. Which might possibly be why he and whatever that ice girl's name was--he hadn't even asked--had never even spared each other a glance after the Homecoming dance. Neither had been even slightly insulted by the others disinterest.

Warren didn't do _crushes_. Please. Twelve year old Jonas Brothers fans had crushes. You either liked someone or you didn't, there was no such thing as crushes, because as Warren saw it, crushes were when you thought someone was "hot" and if they got a girlfriend--boyfriend, anything--you'd say it was just a crush and get another within the next class. Damn teenyboppers.

Warren, while not a romancer, as stated above, was under the firm belief that you went out with people because you liked them, and if it was just for sex, you should make that known and absolutely _not_ hold hands/kiss/canoodle in front of people, giving the impression that you are together.

It was lunchtime. Warren sat reading _A Clockwork Orange_, Will sat across from him, Layla sat next to him, their hands joined between their bodies, Zach on the flower girl's other side, And Ethan next to him. Next to Warren himself was Magenta and Taryn, who they called Taz, some new student in the sidekicks' class that Layla had taken pity on. She used to be a hero, her superpower being... well, she claimed it was gravity. Warren had never actually seen her prove it. She was kind of obnoxious in that way that she played matchmaker with everyone and yet had never been in a relationship. And she was somehow convinced that Warren was in love with Will.

Yeah, right. And she had this way of acting like she was afraid of Warren--a light fear, not like Ethan-fear--, but still doing monumentally stupid things that would rile him up. Still he couldn't bring himself to dislike her, as she was sort of like a short female version of Warren.

"So, Aberdeen is in _Scotland_?" Zach asked, bemused.

"I always thought it was in Ireland," Taryn agreed. She ducked her pickle into Ethan's vanilla pudding and bit into it, washing it down with pineapple juice. The group gave a collective grimace, but the short brunette just continued, "You see? This is what happens when you go to a school with no Social Studies classes."

"Yeah," Ethan said, "but on the plus side, we have a class dedicated soley to learning how to hot-wire cars, so..."

"Please, like you really need a class for that," Warren snorted.

The ice girl passed by and, for the first time since Homecoming, looked at Warren. It was subtle, but Zach and Taryn noticed.

"Nice legs," Taryn commented. "Too thin, though." She pinned a bright red streak back where it had fallen out of her messy half-ponytail.

"Mm," Warren commented. It was true, of course, and if there was one thing he didn't like it was eighty pound 5'9'' platinum blondes. Taryn seemed to be reading his mind because she chirped, "What _is_ your type, Warren?"

Warren ran his tongue over the inside of his bottom lip. "Redheads. Tall ones, full lips, not too skinny, with playboy hips with legs for miles."

Magenta raised an eyebrow. "You do realize you just described Layla, right?"

"Layla doesn't have playboy hips, nor is she all that tall," Ethan argued.

"Should I be worried?" Will asked, putting his arm around the girl in question.

"Stronghold, if I wanted Layla, you wouldn't have a chance, believe me," he smirked.

"Ouch," Magenta stated, shaking her head lightly at the look on Will's face. Warren caught his eye again and flicked his tongue over his sharp canines, smirking as Will rolled his bottom lip into his mouth and bit down, before Layla said something and his attention was diverted. Warren fought the scowl off his face, lowering his eyes to his dystopian novel once again. It wasn't Layla's fault, really. If, in some crazy alternate universe where Warren actually gave a crap about what Will thought about him and Will and Layla were still dating and maybe on a slight off chance that, while Will still cared about the redhead, he might possibly have a tiny thing for Warren and Layla somehow knew and was whoring his attention on purpose, the pyrokinetic might get mad, but seeing as how he _didn't_ really care about what Will thought about him--like that, anyway--, and Will probably didn't have a slight, miniscule thing for him, though he was with Layla, but.... Wow, Warren's head hurt.

Taryn bit into her sandwich. She inspected it critically as she chewed. "Since bread is square, why is sandwich meat round?"

Warren ignored her, and the rest of the table as their conversation continued on from there, and eventually, having tired from reading the same sentence seven times, just stared at the pages and listened to Will's laugh when Zach or Taryn said something stupid, which was often.

Warren was thankful.

---

"Warren!"

Warren turned, rolling his eyes all the way up to star at the ceiling, mouthing, 'why me?' as Zach and Ethan--who seemed to be joined at the hip these days--came up behind him. Zach looked at the ceiling as well. "What are we looking at?" he asked, tugging his white three-quarter length cargos up where they'd ridden down his hips, exposing neon yellow boxers.

Warren exhaled, "Nothing. Did you want something?"

"Yeah, it's your turn to rent movies, but Layla asked that you didn't get anything too violent because we're going to her house tonight and after watching horror movies she'd have to reajust the chi or something." Zach shrugged. "I don't know, I stopped listening after 'too violent'."

"Alright," Warren said, "I'll see you guys then."

Warren paused. Horror movies, even stupid, not even all that convincing ones, had Layla cowering like a scared hamster, into Will, who'd laugh and hold her tighter, which was annoying. Sure, he'd basically helped those two together in the first place, but... _I don't know,_ he thought. _Layla+Willxacting couply=totally ruining a monumentally high number of horror movies for me. _So, essencially, Warren had three choices: 1) choose a comedy and be bored to death, as well as annoyed when Will would smile that little bit bigger when Layla laughed, 2)choose a not-all-that-scary movie, and still have Layla get scared and need to be hiding her face in Will's chest all night, or 3) choose a good horror movie and just ignore everything.

Lovely set of choices.

**hope it was long enough for the ones that wanted longer chapters. please review. also, those people who i know for a fact are reading and not reviewing because you put this story on your author alert, review or no next chappie. yeah, i know what you're thinking. you're thinking, "jeez, give a girl a review and she thinks she owns the world." but gues what? i'm a review junkie. so there. if i get more reviews, i will update faster. faster as in, the rate of a chapter every other day. so there!!!!!!!**


	3. Chapter 3

_"I hate the way that you are so sarcastic, and you're not very bright/ You think that everything you've done's fantastic/ Your music's shite/ It keeps me up all night, up all night/ And it will be nice to get away for a week or two/ Then I know I will be right, right back here with you..."_

"Married With Children"

By Oasis

**Chapter 2**

In the end, Warren deicded on doing something idiotic and just asked the cashiere what movie he should get. She suggested he rent a chick flick; the girls would be ahppy and the guys could make fun of it.

"So what'd you bring?" Will asked eagerly, hoping for _Saw 2_, which happened to be his favorite of the six to date.

"Well, I felt bad for makingthe girls watch _Texas Chainsaw Massacre_ that time, so I got you a chick flick."

"But then we made you watch _The Secretary _to compensate, 'member?" Taryn said before Magenta elbowed her in the ribs.

_Oh, yeah._ He did remember. The I-love-you-so-much-I'll-sit-here-and-won't-move-till-you-come-back-if-you-tell-me-to was stupid, but the BDSM? Had given him the worst wet dreams. He momentarily regretted not getting the best thriller ever, but the thought of Will rolling his eyes sardonically but keeping his voice doubly sincere when he'd stroke Layla's hair and say, "Hey, don't worry, it's just a movie, Lay, nothing's gonna happen..." pretty much had him vetoing the choice. "Eh, it's okay. We can watch it anyway." He thought a moment. "But if you start squealing we're switching to _Nightmare On Elm Street_."

The threat was don in vain, however, because as the familiar melody started up as the opening credits began, fangirl sqees filled the room and then Magenta, Layla, and Taryn began singing.

"_Those schoolgirl days of telling tales and biting nails are gone. But in my mind, I know they will still live on and on..._"

"What movie is this?" Zach asked.

"_To Sir, With Love_," Ethan whispered back.

When the movie started, Zach, Will, Layla, and Warren sat on the couch, Ehtna sat on the one-person sofa that was sideways (facing the coffee table, which they'd moved out of the way) near the couch--Zach's side of it--, and Magenta and Taryn on the floor, lying on their stomaches, propped on thier elbows. A quarter of the way into the movie, Magenta was lying on her back na dTaryn was using her belly as a pillow, Ethan had claimed he couldn't see and was now sitting between Zach's legs. Around halfway through the movie, Layla told them her favorite part was coming up and deposited herself onto the floor, back against the couch and legs draped over Taryn's. So Ethan decided to sit up on the sofa, Btween Zach and Will, pushing Will that much closer to Warren, so that their thighs were touching.

Completely.

From knee to hip.

Which was fine, really, because being best friends with Will, Warren had found out he's a rather touchy-feely guy, but that still didn't stop a slight shiver form running thought his body when Will shifted around to get comfortable.

Will misinterpreted the shiver. "Cold?" he whispered and at this proximity the sapphire of his eyes made Warren shiver again. But again Will just didn't _get it_, (Warren thought for a moment he should thankful that Will couldn't figure it out; it's not as if he himself has) and just smirked.

"Stubborn bastard," he muttered fondly, and pulled the older brunette to his chest with that annoying inhuman strenght. But after all, Warren was taller, so Will sat up straight and kept his arms around Warren's waist instead of slung over his shoulders as he no doubt expected, ineffective as if was.

Warren knew Will would use his superstrength against him if he tried to pry himself out of his grip, so he melted into the touch, which he grudgingly admitted was comfortable. He just hoped Will couldn't hear the way his heart was beating so hard he could see his veins pulsing.

It started so slowly he didn't even realize what was going on. But where is black T-shirt had ridden up on his body, Will had started slowly kneading the skin. When Warren looked to him for explanation, Will shrugged slightly. "My mom used to do this when I was little." When Warren continued to stare, he asked, "Do you want me to stop?"

Warren blinked. "No," he decided, "feels nice."

So Will didn't stop. And when his hands stroked higher on Warren flat abs and he shivered again when his fingertips brushed his bellybutton, Will still assumed he was cold. No worries. He just tried his best to get him warmer.

**and there's another chapter for you. hope you're all aware that i refuse to type even one more line if i don't get reviews. REVIEW, YOU LAZY LURKERS!!!! oh, and btw, i might be going to visit my cousin tomorrow till tuesday, so if you review quick, i'll write you the next three chapters and post them in as many days. however, no reviews, and i won't even bring a notebook. **

**reviews make my world go round. please make me dizzy.**


	4. Chapter 4

**the intro song for today is longer than the others, because this is in fact, where the title came from, and most of the story plot, even though, as stated in the first chapter, it's not where the inicial idea come form. i hope the readers don't skip the song lyrics to any of the chapters, because they all tie in. if you like the songs i choose, and understand how it fits, wonderful. if you don't, well, that's okay. no one should have to be as obsessed wiht music and song lyric meanings as i am.**

_"I'm not one for complaining/ But I love the way you roll excuses off the tip of your tongue/ As I slowly fall apart/ I said "This won't mean a thing come tomorrow"/ And that's exactly how I'll make it seem/ 'Cause I'm still not sleeping thinking I've crawled home from worse than this/ So please, please/ I'm running out of sympathy, I'm running out of sympathy/ I never said I'd take this/ I never said I'd take this lying down/ She said, "Come on, come on, let's just get this over with"/ She said, "Come on, come on, let's just get this over with"/ I never said I'd take this lying down, let's just get this over with/ And I've crawled home from worse than this/ She says "Come on, come on, let's just get this over with"/ She said, "come on, come on..."/ You always come close but this never comes easy/ I still know everything/ You always come close but you never come easy...."_

"Great Romances Of The 20th Century"

by Taking Back Sunday

**Chapter 3**

By the time the movie was over, Warren was asleep. Will only noticed when the girls started stretching and he stopped moving his hands, and Ethan pushed Zach, who'd fallen asleep on his lap, off to turn on the lights. Layla stopped mid-yawn and a grin took over her face. "Guys, Warren's asleep!"

Will was aware of the fact that, after nearly a week without rest he'd either fall asleep from sheer exhaustion or die, but he still couldn't keep from being happy. He smiled and shook his head. "Guys, I'd better take him home. See you in school Monday."

A chorus of 'night, Will's sounded around the room, and he lifted Warren bridal style and left. Warren barely stirred.

Luckily, Warren always left his window unlocked for when Will came over instead of calling. Will stripped Warren down to his boxers and put him to bed, blushing in the dark and thinking of nothing but dirty shoelaces, sardines, and wheatgrass juice, just in case. Will hesitated a moment before going out the window, coming back to Warren's side and pushing a lock of red and brown hair off his face. He leaned down and pressed his lips momentarily to Warren's forehead. "'Night, W'ren."

---

When Warren woke up, the sun was warming his skin through his window, and his alarm clock read 8:42. Saturday morning. He'd slept, but six days without sleep had taken it's toll, and he was still dead tired. He spent the majority of the day working out, seeing if that would perhaps make him tired enough come nighttime, but when it came time for bed--just past eleven, after an hour-long shower, forty minutes of which consisted of pressing his forehead to the wall and letting hot water run over his back and just thinking--, he found himself exhausted and yet _restless_. Warren eyed a bottle of extra-strength sleeping pills warily, not particularly fond of sleeping by medical stimulants; it felt like such a cop-out. He grabbed the bottle and lobbed it into his closet. He'd be sure to forget about it soon; his memory had definitely gotten worse, thanks to his insomnia. When his phone rang, he scrambled to pick it up, glad for the distraction.

"Hello?"

"Hey, you," Will answered, the smile evident in his voice. "Sleepy?"

"Restless. Can't sleep. Shocker." Warren rolled onto his back so he could stare at his ceiling, which by some spectacular miracle, was still interesting after all the hours he'd spent looking at it.

"Yeah, but... I mean, you slept last night."

"Mmm," Warren replied, noncommittally. He didn't say anything more, and Will didn't either, nor did he prompt him to. They continued on the phone in a companionable silence for a nearly ten more minutes.

"Hey, can I come over tomorrow?"

"Sure," Warren said, "it's not like I have anything better to do."

"Ouch; that mean I'm a last resort?" Will laughed.

"Of course. I thought you knew!"

"Bastard. See you tomorrow."

"Later."

----

Will grabbed the computer desk chair and sat on it backwards, straddling it. Warren lay on his back on his bed, head almost hanging off, feet on top of his pillow. Will rested his chin on his fist, sighing. "I think Layla and I might've broken up."

Warren snorted. "You _think_?"

"Okay, we did. I don't know what to do."

"And I do? My longest relationship lasted three days short of a month; you guys have been together for years."

"Don't exagerate; it's only been..." Will trailed off to count on his fingers. "fourteen months."

_Which is fourteen months longer than it should've lasted, _both silently added.

"Don't get her flowers," Warren advised. "One, she'll think you're being sarcastic, and two, she preferes poted plants that have a better chance to live on thier own without her interfering. Buy her a box of her favorite soy chocolate."

"Soy chocolate?" Will's eyebrows furrowed.

Warren rolled his eyes. "You know she's a vegan." He wondered momentarily why he was helping Will get Layla back, and if he was successful, where that would leave him. _Same place, really_, he thought bitterly. He scowled. "This Friday's your turn to get a movie. Get her favorite, or just watch it alone with her some time during the week."

"Which would be...?"

Another eye roll. Remarkable the amount of exercise they got around Will. "_The Breakfast Club_. I shouldn't know more about your girlfriend than you do."

Will waved an unconcerned hand.

"Stronghold," Warren insisted, "she's your best friend."

"No," Will shook his head. "She's not. She's my girlfriend; that's how I think if her, and I don't even know things about her a good boyfriend should. _You're _ my best friend; I know all the stuff a best friend should know about _you_." Will rubbed his face with his hands, looking a lot more tired than he had a few minutes ago. "God, I don't even know if I still want her."

Warren stopped cold. Jealousy was easy to ignore if it wasn't going to get you anywhere anyway, and sarcastic comments said out loud and snarky ones kept inside could all be blamed on his kickass attitude, but if it turned out things were not as Donna Reed perfection in Will-and-Laylaland, he could pretty much kiss his resolve goodbye. Becasue this was the way it was supposed to be: Warren not quite registering what he was feeling and Will and Layla being happy forever and Warren only figuing out what he was feeling when it was too late. Like, in a tux as the best man in a wedding too late. Or perhaps, "Warren, we want you to be our son's godfather" too late. Y'know, the type of too late where he couldn't do anything about it, and wouldn't have to go through the turmoil he'd go through with the what-ifs.

"Come on, man," he said, voice slightly strained, "you don't mean that. You love Layla." Warren knew that. But it still tugged some strings on his heart when Will nodded.

"Of course I do. Christ, I could marry another person and still love her, because I do. As my friend, as my sister, as someone I share history with."

_Another person? _Not another girl. That thought tumbled around his head for a moment before he said it aloud. Will flushed slightly, but didn't back down.

"Yeah, another person. Doesn't have to be another girl."

Warren regained his cool in a fraction of a second now that he was sure, and that it wasn't just a play on words. "I'm getting the impression you have someone in mind."

By this time Warren had been sitting on the edge of his bed, and Will now groaned and came to lay down right next to where Warren was moments before. "Yeah, I'm into someone, if that's what you're trying to ask. But I don't think he's into me."

Will tossed an arm over his eyes, embarassed. Not for being bi, he knew Warren wouldn't give him any flak because of that, but because of having to admit that the guy he liked wasn't into him. It was stupid really; it's not that he oh so arrogantly thought he could have anyone, even though he pretty mcuh could. But did he have to crush on the one guy he had abso_lute_ly no chance with?! "Bugger, I don't even think he's into guys." A pause. "No, screw that; I _know_ he isn't into guys."

Warren lay back down. This was he could stare at his ceiling instead of trying not to stare at the way Will's T-shirt--striped blue and white--was riding up on his waist. "Well, Stronghold, you have a remarkable lack of a gaydar, so I can't really trust your judgment on that."

Will let out a sound that could best be defined as a cross between a whine and a squeal. "God, I've never seen him with anyone. He's probably asexual. And yes, I know what that means."

Warren smirked. "I didn't say anything."

"I can hear your smile from here. You should be commiserating with me; I'm so cockblocked, man."

Warren felt a surge of anger, and clenched his fists hard to keep from firing up. After a few seconds, he licked away the stray blood from the eight crescent moon indents on his palm and got up form his bed, spitting out, "Oh, boo-hoo, soory I can't muster up some more sympathy for you and your mystery guy's non-existnat relationship when you already have a _girlfriend_."

Will got up too. "What do you want from me, Warren? This isn't my fault! I didn't fucking do it on purpose!"

"What do I want from you?! Why don't you tell me what you want from _me_?! Because it really doesn't feel like I'm the one missing something here." _Lies!_ a tiny voice in his head informed him.

Will grabbed him by the front of his T-shirt and shoved him into the wall with that pesky inhuman strength. "Fine." And Will leaned up those four or five inches so that thier lips met, and it wasn't sweet or soft, but angry and defiant, and Warren kissed back, because anger was never anything he had to think about. He hands were on Will's hips, thumbs rubbing where the edge of his red boxers wher peeking out over his jeans, kissing back, _kissing Will Stronghold_, and the fact that one little vice was doing a happy dance and another was squeeing like a fangirl got him angry all over again and when he pushed Will away, Will was pushing him back at the same time. His lips were swollen and bitten, and, yeah, the bruises he could already feel forming on his waist, where Will's hands had ended up instead of balled at his chest, were never going to let him forget this.

Will let out a bark of laughter, that sounded more like Warren than Warren could bring himself to sound right now. "That good enough for you?" he asked, biting off each word like it hurt to say them. And then he left.

_No,_ Warren wanted to answer, and he through a ball of fire at his wall, watching it evaporate on impact, because his parents had insisted on getting some kind of flame-retarded material in his room.

Like he said, he hated thinking of what-ifs. They had an obnoxious way of of turning into what-might've-beens.

**yay, they kissed!!!!!! next chapter's all written up--in my head-- and ready to go. review to get it!!!!**


	5. Chapter 5

**eh... i have nothing witty or interesting to say.**

**Chapter 4**

_"Waiting for someone to put you together/ Waiting for someone to push you away/ There's always another wound to discover/ There's always something more you wish he'd say/ He's everything you want/ He's everything you need/ He's everything inside of you that you wish you could be/ He says all the right things at exactly the right time/ But he means nothing to you and you don't know why/ But you'll just sit tight and what it unwind/ It's only what you're asking for/ And you'll be just fine/ With all of your time/ It's only what you're waiting for/ Out of the island/ Into the highway/ Past the places where you might have turned/ You never did notice/ You still hide away/ Anger of angel who won't return/ He's everything you wnat/ He's everything you need/ He's everything inside of you that you wish you could be..."_

"Everything You Want"

by Vertical Horizon

It started on a Monday. Warren couldn't help but think that it always started on a Monday. He thought wildly for a moment that they should be outlawed, but that would make Tuesdays the new Monday, so it might not work. It's on a Monday Warren realized he had to conciously keep himself from jumping Will.

Despite Warren's feelings already being full-blown inside him, he'd never actually thought about kissing Will, the falling-for-my-best-friend thing, if the movies the girls always chose were correct, was always very subtle. Subtly flew right out the window at luch when Ethan sat down at the lunchtable, which oddly enough, consisted only of Ethan, Magenta, Zach, Taryn and Warren himself.

"Can you guys believe that Layla and Will broke up?"

"Wow, that's like, the twelfth time," Zach said, impressed. Not in a good way. "Or is the eleventh?"

"Don't exaggerate; it's the ninth," Magenta answered. She grabbed Taryn's hand before the girl put her finger in her mouth and bit off a long neon-green painted nail. "Stop it, Taz."

"I can't! I'm panicking! I'm an Averman, goddamn it! You do not interupt a panicking Averman! We Avermans have a long and frenzied history of panicking in the face of great adversity!" Taryn began hyperventilating in that over-the-top manner she had of doing everything except checking people out and insulting teachers; in both cases she was quite discreet. "My great grandfather Paul Averman panicked when the stockmarket crashed and jumped off a roof! It was a general store roof and he landed on a pile of garbage and survived, but that's not the point! My uncle Manny panicked when he caught Aunt Mertile in bed with his two best friends and shot himself in the leg! My second cousin twice removed Ellen--and believe me she was removed for a reason--panicked when her curtains caught on fire and tried to put it out with an aerosol can! Needless to say it didn't work! And I, Taz Averman, am panicking over the fact that the golden couple is no longer together and there's nothing I do as well as panic so leave me to it!" That small speech seemed to have exhausted her and she pushed her tray out of her way and let her head fall onto the table with a thump.

Magenta patted her head sardonically, and Ethan said, "Man, if those two break up, what does that say about any relationship?"

"That's what I'm saying!" Taryn's head shot up. "My chances at happiness have reached astranomical odds of not happening! Now what am I..." she trailed off when she saw a particularly good-looking girl with legs to her ears walk by and scurried off to help her carry her books.

Warren shook his head. "That girl is unshakable."

"Time heals all wounds," Magenta added.

---

It was no secret that Will was the most sought after sophomore at Sky High. Hell, he was the most sought after, period. All the girls and a vast majority of the guys wanted him. And, yeah, after that kiss yesterday, Warren was pretty sure Will would either get Layla all the stuff they talked about or just let all the girls--and guys, he supposed--have their ways with him. But what he _didn't _expect, however, was to go outside, and see Will sitting there on one of those picnic tables they always had out at thebeginning and end of the year, when it's warm enough to stay out during lunch, slumped down and propped up on his elbows, talking to Damien Sparks. Damien Sparks, with jet black hair and those generally rather scary bright blue eyes, cocking one hip suggestively, standing between Will's spread legs, eyes roaming Will's body appreciatively and making him smile with whatever idiocy he was sputtering out.

Warren supposed he should be relieved with this odd turn of events, when a belated thought came through his head. _It was me. It was me that he was talking about, the guy he was into. _The fact that this was quite obviously--well, _obvious_ made Warren blush, and the fact that Will could get Warren to blush without even being _near_, or, well, nearby to do it on purpose, and also that fact that Will got Warren to blush in the first place--_blush_, for fuck's sake, like some twelve year old Jonas Brothers' fan with a crush--had him clenching and unclenching his fists unconciously at his sides. Then, overwhelmed to the point of stupidity, he took a few long strides to where Will and his _friend_ were talking, and in two quick moves pushed Damien away and dragged Will up by the collar of his red button-down, tugging him into the school and into an empty classroom.

Warren realized belatedly that his fingers were still curled into the flannel of Will's plaid shirt, and let him go, pushing his hair back hard so that he knew where his hands were. They had a mind their own, sometimes. "Guess you forgot about me pretty fast," he growled; what his voice lacked in volume it made up for doubly with the supressed anger within it.

Will's eyes had definitely lost that kicked puppy look he usually has, and tossed his head back. "I guess you _didn't_," he countered.

Warren's eyes flashed, and Will ducked the fire ball that was aimed at him. "You played me!"

"Like a Mötley Crüe record," Will agreed. "Sorry," he said, completely without remorse.

Warren pushed his hair back again, and took some deep breaths, never having been one to control his temper, but also always knowing how to control his impulses. "So it was me you were talking about, right?"

Will shrugged; nodded, dropping his gaze now, shoes now taking his attention. He pushed shaggy light brown hair out of his eyes and looked up, finally. "I want you," he whispered.

Warren couldn't feel his legs, and realized probably a few seconds too late that there was virtually no space between them suddenly and they were practically sharing the same air. "Tell me you want me too," Will pleaded. He closed his eyes for a moment. "Please."

Warren looked away from Will's lips with very much difficulty. This was it; he couldn't hide from it anymore, and how could he want to? Will was laying it out for him, right here; was he seriously going to let him down? Warren looked back at Will, and answered him. He switched their positions, Will now against the wall, Warren pushed against him, chest to chest, noting vaguely that Will had him pinned to the wall the last--first--time they kissed, as well. He realized that meant he was thinking about kissing Will again, but if Will was serious, it didn't seem like he'd mind. "Yeah. I want you."

"Huh?" Will asked, voice coming out almost hoarse and opening his eyes lazily, pupils blown with only a thin ring of hazel surrounding it. Warren leaned closer and Will's eyes fell shut. Just before their lips met, Warren hesitated, but then he saw Will's fingers twitch in the corner of his eye and knew he wasn't the only one holding back.

As far as kisses go it was pretty tame; couldn't really get any tamer. It probably couldn't even be considered a kiss, Warren just lifted Will's chin and let their lips brush. Because if it was to be compared to the other time, they were just... accepting now, not forcing it. And it was probably enough, if the sweet, sated little sigh that escaped Will's lips was any indication. Their lips were separated now, but close enough so that when Will wetted his lips with his tongue, it brushed Warren's lip as well. Warren heard a groan and vaguely recognized the sound of his voice. "Let's just... I mean, I don't want to fuck this up."

Will nodded, taking a step back, and Warren pretended that it didn't feel like a knife to his heart. "Yeah, it's okay. I didn't think you'd even... so, if you don't want to, it's fine."

"W-what?" Warren shook his head, grabbing Will's wrist and rubbing his thumb against the soft underside, feeling the way Will's pulse was out of control. "No, I just meant we should take it slow. I don't want to fuck this up," he repeated.

Will blinked, the smile visible in his eyes though his mouth barely twitched. "Oh," he said quietly. "Uhm." His gaze lowered to Warren's mouth again, and Warren wasn't sure if he just wanted to kiss him again or if he was too embarrassed to maintain eye contact. Will lifted a hand and hesitated slightly before touching Warren's face, bringing their foreheads together and letting his hand come around Warren's neck. The heavy pulsing _need_ to be near Warren that had somehow developed instantly and with the force of a raging fire the second Warren had said "I want you" sat thickly in his veins, and the desire to tell Warren about it was strong, but Will ignored it. Better to cross that bridge when they got to it.

**teeheeheee, hope y'all liked. no reviews, no next chappie. and i know you guys are reading, so don't think, "ah, i won't review. someone else will. she'll never know." **


	6. Chapter 6

**okay, for my loyal reviewers, i'm giving you what i'm sure you've all been waiting for. i'm sure you all notice that i upped the rating. however, despite the song selection, the scene i'm sure you all have in mind will be more schmoopy than anything, know what i mean? despite the song selection, because i primarily had to call on my own nonexistant sexual experiences... *sigh* but let's not go there. anyway, i just love like song like so much pie that i had to use it. **

_"You can have my isolation/ You cam have the hate that it brings/ You can have my absence of faith/ You can have my everything/ Help me/ You tear down my reason/ Help me/ It's your sex I can smell/ Help me/ You make me perfect/ Help me think I'm somebody else/ I wanna fuck you like an animal/ I wanna feel you from the inside/ I wanna fuck you like an animal/ My whole exsistance is flawed...."_

"Closer"

by Nine Inch Nails

They were in the kitchen of Will's house; Jetstream and the Comander off saving the world, and afterwards had a meeting with the president. They wouldn't be back till tomorrow afternoon. "I think..." Will rummaged around the fridge. "Yeah, out of Dr. Pepper. Coke okay?"

"Yeah," Warren nodded.

And clumsy as Will was, an hour later....

"Damn!" Will yelped, left hand cradling his right, which was bleeding from a ragged piece of glass. He tossed the last piece into the trashand got up to run his hand under some water.

Warren came up behind him after grabbing a Band-Aid from a drawer and an ice cube from the freezer. He set them on the counter and placed his hands low on Will's hips, chin on the younger's shoulder.

After Will dried his hands, tactfully avoiding the cut, Warren put the ice cube on Will's palm and held his hand, pressing down on the ice with Will, having interlaced their fingers, and liking the way they looked, his darker ones against Will's paler ones.

Once Will's cut was appropriately numbed, Warren tossed the half-melted ice cube into the sink and sucked the moisture from his palm, sucking harder to cover his smirk when he noticed the shiver go down Will's spine, which was pulled flush against Warren's chest, which pretty much meant that his butt was also molded against Warren's crotch in the least sugestive way possible. Then he put the Band-Aid on his, laying a chaste kiss to the covered skin.

Will tugged on Warren's arms, not wanting to break this odd but not uncomfortable silence between the two, and Warren loosened his hold, only to tighten it again once Will had turned around to face him.

Warren didn't even notice that he'd closedhis eyes till he felt the most timid of lips against his--hard to believe they were the same lips that had nearly bruised his _gums _twenty-four hours ago--but it got fiercer quickly when Warren kissed back. Will's hands found their way to his hair and he lowered his own to Will's ass, squeezing. Will let out a squeak and tugged on his hair. Warren let one hand slip down to Will's thigh and hitched it up onto his hip.

Warren tasted like Coke and sour Skittles and also vaguely like smoke and Will thought hazily for a moment that _fuck_, that taste was addicting. And this kiss was kind of out of control for only a third kiss, like it was going somewhere--everywhere--fast, and Warren had pulled away before Will could process the voice cracking whine that escaped him at the loss.

Warren saw that the light honey-colored hazel of Will's eyes had lost nearly all it's color to an aroused black. "Warren," he said, voice rough but pleading, "Please?"

"Fine, but I'm not coming in my pants like some twelve year old Joneas Brothers fan," Warren muttered, and that'swhen Will noticed that they were both hard and--yeah, now he was blushinglike a little schoolgirl. But he just tugged Warren upstairs, pressing his lips together to maintain that "thoroughly kissed" feeling until he could get the real this back in a few seconds.

And then they were--startlingly sudden, actually,--on Will's bed, devoid of shirts, kissing again. Will pulled away to latch onto Warren's neck, just under his jaw and to the left of his Adam's apple, sucking the soft warm skin and felt how Warren's pulse was racing. He held himself up on shaky arms as he kissed down Warren's chest, licking down that teasing happy trail ashe undid the zipper of his jeans, pushing them down. Warren kicked them off and growled, flipping them over so he was now on top, lappin, nipping and kissing Will's collarbones and neck.

Will put a hand to Warren's chest, not pushing him away, just holding him still. "Wait, wait," he murmured, and the deep flush on his cheeks was just form embarrassment. "I don't want... that is, I want this... to mean something... come tomorrow." He looked up at Warren through his eyelashes, and when he shifted, Will tensed, bracing himself for the moment when Warren would get up. He knew he'd feel cold, and miss that comfortable weight pinning him to the mattress, and he was ready for it.

But Warren didn't get up. Just looked down at him with that calculating expression that always made Will feel like he could read his thoughts, and made him feel dirty, no matter what was going through his head. "What... how do you mean?"

"I mean, if this is just for tonight, I'd rather just be your friend. Like, all or nothing."

And there: it was all out in the open now.

Warren kissed the corner of Will's mouth. "I'll take it all."

And all was what Will would give him, or perhaps what he'd let him take. All of it, including scratch marks down his back when Will had told him, "You look beautiful like this," and warren had kissed him because he didn't quite know how to answer that. All of it, including a bitemark on his shoulder that would hurt for a week because he didn't want Will to be the only one feeling pain when he entered him. All of it, including bruises on his hips when the simultaneously came. All of it, because pain faded quickly when it visited those well acquainted with it.

And it was everything a first time should be with someone you cared for for real: sweet and awkward and fun and memorable and so perfect they forgot to be embarrassed.

After the world came back into focus around them, and after Will cleaned them off with his discarded T-shirt, they still weren't brewathing normally yet. Will asked hesitantly, "So, can we... not like, today, unless you want to, but... I wanna do that again. Can we? Like, all the time?"

Warren lifted his head from where his face was buried in Will's neck and kissed him, sweet and soft. "Yes," he whispered against Will's lips, but it came out sounding a lot more like "Forever."

**Please review!!!!!**


	7. Chapter 7

**i would like to thank you all for my many reviews, thank you sooooooooooooooooo much!!!!!! and if i didn't answer them, yeah i'm lazy. :) which is why i'm doing ti here. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!! also, i would like to thank two reviewers in particular, NaughtyandSpicyGirl, for making that effort to review though english isn't your first lauguage, i'm eternally grateful, and I LOVE YOU!!! and also thank you to musicMANIAC08 for helping with the song selection, which will most likely be used in the following chapter, and for reviewing when you usually don't for other fics, makes me feel so special. XD I LOVE YOU, TOO!!! that being said, i would like to say OMG I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!! to my other reivewers, who i am too lazy to go looking for the names of. **

_"Don't bother trying to explain, angel, I know exactly what goes on/ When you're wrong/ And how about I'm outside of your window?/ Watching him keep the details covered/ You're such a sucker for a sweet talker/ And will you tell all your friends/ You've got your gun to my head/ This all was only wishful thinking, this all was only wishful thinking/ And will you tell all your friends/ You've got your gun to my head/ This all was only wishful thinking, this all was only wishful thinking/ Hoping for the best, just hope that nothing happens/ A thousand clever lines unread on clever napkins/ I won't ever ask if you don't ever tell me/ I know you well enough to know you'll never love me/ (Why can't I feel anything from anyone other than you?)/ Hoping for the best, just hope that nothing happens/ A thousand clever lines unread on clever napkins/ I won't ever ask if you don't ever tell me/ I know you well enough to know/ And all of this was all your fault/ All of this/ I stay wrcked and jealous for this/ For the simple reason/ I just need to keep you in mind/ As something larger than life..."_

"Cute Without the 'E' (Cut From The Team)"

by Taking Back Sunday

**Chapter 6**

Warren really had no idea where this left them now. Because, yeah, he was gone beyond words for Will, but who knows? Things could change in a heartbeat. After all, they already had.

Will had fallen asleep on him, and Warren--Warren was able to keep his eyes closed for _exactly_ four minutes and thought he'd fallen asleep until he actually saw the time. Now Warren just ran his hands through Will's hair, watching his chest rise and fall with every breath, and noticing how very long his eyelashes were, dark against the ligment of his skin. "It's creepy to watch people when they sleep, y'know that?" Will asked, not opening his eyes. The sound of his voice, husky with sleep, went straight to his cock, but he ignored it, laughing softly.

"Creepier than using some kid who looks like a vampire to make me jealous?"

"Much creepier." He smiled and finally opened his eyes lazily, brown locking with hazel like maple syrup poured on fresh pancakes. He dragged himself up to meet Warren's lips in a kiss. It wass lazy and sweet, and the smile Warren could feel taking over his face was mirrored when Will pulled away. He looked down, though, rolled off Warren to lie on his side next to him and propped his head on his palm, tracing invisable patterns on Warren's chest.

"Hi," Warren said, a little belatedly.

"Yes, I am,"Will smiled, continuing his languid movements. "Uh... what're we going to do about Layla?"

"You said you guys broke up."

Will shrugged. "I don't know, we fought, and when we do, it's usually an unofficial break-up."

"Well, what do you want me to do? She's _your_ girlfriend. Or ex, whatever."

"Yeah, but when you thought I wanted to get back with her, you gave me advice." Will dropped his head to dip his tongue inside Warren's navel, feeling the way his stomache caved when Will lightly ran his fingertips across where his sixpack faded into his hips.

"Mmm..." Warren answered helpfully, arching into Will's mouth as he made his way up Warren's chest in tiny kitten laps. The sweat had long since dried from their skin, but they still tasted like salt and sex.

"Love you," Will murmured, so soft he wasn't sure he'd really said it.

"You say something?"

"No."

"Mm." Warren tugged Will up and kissed him, fingers playing on the soft skin of his waist, fingering the bruises and scratches that were already forming. Will hissed softly when he pressed down too hard on a particularly violet mark, and he whispered, "Sorry." A beat. "Did I hurt you?" He lowered his hand to Wills ass casually, so that he'd know what he was talking about.

"A little," he answered softly. "It's okay. More than worth it."

Warren looked a bit skeptical, but didn't say anything. "Okay."

"Do... I mean, should we tell everyone else? The guys, I mean." The _about us_ is unsaid, apparently unneeded, but the way Will looked at him from under his eyelashes told Warren he still wasn't sure if Warren wanted this.

As if he was the one who should be worried.

"If you want to," Warren shrugged. "If you don't want to tell them, I won't make you. Although we should. We don't have to tell the whole school, just Ethan, Zach, Maj, and Taryn. And obviously Layla," he smirked, watching Will's face fall comically.

"But you don't think they'll find it odd when I can barely keep myself from attacking you?"

"Eh, not really. Besides, I'm not one for PDA, you know that." He grinned. "Have to content myself with groping you when no one's around."

Will smiled back.

"I need to shower," he muttered, taking Will's hand off his chest. He kissed his palm and got up, smirking once his back was turned because he could feel the way Will's eyes were buring a whole in him. He turned back, smirked wider when Will's eyes snapped up to his own. "You coming, or not?"

"Uh... yeah," Will answered, and scrambled after his boyfriend, pointedly ignoring his laughter.

---

And it was lunch again. Warren was reading _Kane and Abel, _Taryn was writing in her journal, speaking haltingly as she said every word she was writing, apparently going into intricate detail about her latest screw. That kid had an uncanny way of turning straight girls. Magenta was watching Larry and the rest of the heroes--minus Warren and Will--with startling interest for some reason, clutching her phone in her hand, as if waiting for a text, and Zach and Ethan were constructing the Eiffel Tower with the plasticware and mystery meat.

Will and Layla were missing,but Warren wasn't worried. Knew he had to leave the two to do their thing, and if Layla wanted to kill him afterwards, so be it. He knew her almost as well as he knew Will, and of course Will would have a horrible way with words and Warren might have to fix the damage, but he knew that at the end of the day, Layla would be that sweet girl who understood that Will and Warren were telling her because it wouldn't be fair to any of them for them to stay together.

"Guys," Taz said, setting her pen down and closing her notebook, "I have big news. You guys are never going to believe this; sit down." She looked around. "Good. Now, for the first time in my life, I am in love!" She waited excitedly, but no one said anything. However, a simultaneous groan came from the whole table. "No, no, I'm serious! She's amazing, she's beautiful, she's smart, and it's for real this time, I _swear_!"

No one said anything, and it wasn't from disbelief--okay, it was a little--but it was mostly 'cause no one really cared. "Alright now about this: I told her."

Zach and Ethan stopped their sculpting and Zach said, "Okay, what'd she say?"

"That she loves me too," Taryn beamed. "So there."

And that was the end of that. Will got back then and sat down next to Warren. He lefted his head, raised one eyebrow in question and recieved a headshake in return. Okay; he hadn't told her yet.

"Guys, we have something to tell you." And that was Warren's cue; he dog-eared the corner of the page he was on and put the book on the table, flicking his hair out of his eyes and folding his arms, not saying anything, but his quiet presence letting Will know he'd fill in if he messed up.

Like he always did.

"I'm with Warren."

Well, that was subtle.

Ethan stared blankly at him, Taryn grinned, Magenta lifted an eyebrow and continued to watch Larry with one eye, and Zach nodded with that vacant smile of his like he was waiting for Will to elaborate on that.

"Er... that's it. No, wait, it's not! I mean--"

"You don't know it you and Layla are officially broken up," Ethan supplied.

"Uh... yeah and..."

"You'd appreciate it if we kept it quiet till you tell her yourself," Magenta answered, looking at Will while she talked but everting her gaze when she was done, back to Larry.

"Right; also..."

"And of course don't say anything to your parents or anyone here at school until you decide to go public," Taryn nodded.

"Uh-huh." Will looked at Zach then, waiting for his imput.

Zach stroked his chin and managed not to look mocking at all, in that way of his, and shrugged. "Nah, I got nothing. But I got your back, don't worry."

Will smiled genuinely to everyone. "Thank you, guys, you're the greatest."

"We know," Magenta said solemnly. She looked back at him. "I'm happy for you guys." She took a deep breath. "One more story, but again, mum's the word. You know Layla, she would never cheat on you, even if she didn't love you, but, really, I think she has a teeny-weeny nearly non-existant thing for Larry."

Which wasn't as absurd as it sound; the boy had gotten much taller, not as lanky and had gotten contacts. He was really not bad-looking.

"But you know she'd never act on anything, so I think it's best for you to break it to her easy, when you tell her."

"Okay," Will nodded, discreetly laying a hand on Warren's upper thigh. "Thanks again, you guys."

----

"Okay, so crisis averted," Will said as Warren spooned him. He grinned inwardly. He'd never pegged him for a cuddler. They were at Warren's house, getting ready to go to sleep.

"One, anyway, you still have to tell your parents and Layla. Never mind the school, they'll get over it. It's not like you're gay."

"Yeah." He was bi, that was pretty much a given, and the school already knew it. One of those things that was known but no one ever really talked about. Will's cell phone rang on Warren's bedside table, and he groaned, but picked it up.

"Yeah?"

Hey you," Taryn chirped in his ear. "I'll get right to the point, 'cause you know I have a life, unlike some people. Do you want me to talk to Layla?"

"Of course not, Taz, I have to." He'd love nothing more than to have her do it instead, but he did have class after all. Er, well... some.

"I know, but I'll talk to her, tell her not to go all _Carrie _on you, and say it in a way that makes it seem like it ws a secret and it slipped out."

Will contemplated this. It wasn't a bad idea. Not a bad idea at all. "Okay. But please, don't make it seem like I cheated on her and don't give a crap about her feelings. And please don't make it seem like I only got together with Warren to make her jealous."

"Got it, boss. Now go get laid; I know I will."

"Bye."

He set the phone back on the table with a sigh, and explained to Warren, expecting... not what he got, which was a nuzzle to the back of his neck along with a soft kiss to the same spot."Hope you know what you're doing."

"Me too."

A few minutes passed, and Warren's kisses stopped as Will got sleepier, and Warren got more and more tired, knowing he wouldn't be able to sleep. "How come I'm the little spoon?" Will asked, half-asleep.

"'Cause you're the girl."

"'M not."

"You bottomed."

"Well, my cock wouldn't be able to fit in your ass, no matter how great it is."

Warren snorted "What's great, your cock, or my ass?"

"Pick," Will murmured into his pillow, felt the smile against his back and whispered as an afterthought, "I love you."

"I know."

Will stiffened. "I didn't know you could hear that. And _how _do you _know_?"

"Heard you the first time."

"_Why_ didn't you _say anything_?!"

"Wanted you to be sure. Why didn't you say it louder?" Warren countered.

"Didn't want to say it loud enough and risk not having it said back."

"I haven't said it back," Warren reminded.

"But you've shown me." Will wiggled around till he turned in Warren's arms, and draped one leg over Warren's hips. "You don't have to say it."

And he leaned forward to capture Warren's bottom lip between his teeth, biting hard enough to swipe his tongue avross it and them processed to map out Warren's mouth with his tongue as Warren did the same.

***does happy dance* review!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! also, recomend me a good rock song to use in the next chapters, i already have one for the next chapter, as mentioned, but i don't for the next ones. rock, preferably, okay? i like post-grunge, punk-pop, whatever. but has to have to do with the story. if you wanna tell me how it reminds you of the story, i'd love it. thank you all!!!!**


	8. Chapter 8

**unfortunately my mom was out today all day and as i'm on break i was home and mother has this thing about me being on the computer all day, like any mom would, so she took the internet thingy, so i had to make do with the songs already had downloaded on sadie, my pc. *pats computer lovingly* and so, even though if you want the real feeling i was ****trying**** to go for with this chapter--but couldn't 'cause i suck at angst and drama--go listen to "statistics" by madina lake; epic song. **

_"If I stand all alone will the shadows hide the colors of my heart?/ Blue for the tears, black for the night's fears/ The stars in the sky don't mean nothing to you/ They're just a mirror/ I don't wanna talk about it/ How you broke my heart/ If I stay here just a little bit longer/ If I stay here won't you listen to my heart..."_

"I Don't Want To Talk About It"

by Rod Stewart

**Chapter Seven**

There weren't really a whole lot of words for what Layla was feeling right now. How could he _do _that to her? Had a year and two months of being the perfect girlfriend not been what he wanted? Sweet, caring, not overly touchy-feely and never planning those too romantic-y dates, but always being all for it whenever he wanted to fool around in a nearly empty movie theatre, and anywhere else that caught Will's fancy?

Betrayal was really the only word going through her head. And treason. And hypocracy. And... that was pretty much it. She really needed a thesaurus. But that was beside the point. What _was _the point was that her boyfriend--or ex-boyfriend, now, apparently, whether they had broken up or not didn't matter--had cheated on her with her--and his--_best friend_! Did life get any more clichéd than this?!

Probably not. What really sucked was that she thought Will would at least have the decency to tell her to her face, not send some gravity-defying leprechaun in his place. Which 1) she knew was harsh, it was hardly Taz's fault that she was short, and 2) Taryn had made it quite obvious that Will was going to tell her in his own time and that Taryn's telling Layla before that was an accident. She had swore her to secrecy.

Fucking prick. Who did he think he is? So unfair. And while--Layla should at least be able to be honest with herself--she had suspected--_knew_--that Will was bi, she never thought he'd cheat on her with a guy. Not even a girl, for that matter; she thought he'd be good enough to her to at least break it off with her first. Jerk.

Layla watched a tall oak tree across from her bedroom window outside tremble in the slight breeze, more rickety than her great-grandfather, who hasn't gotten out of bed in three years. Realizing, a bit belatedly that that was her doing as it started swaying a bit harder than a tree that size should in the light lazy wind, she stopped channeling her powers into the poor thing and flopped onto her bed, staring idly at the phone.

---

The next day at school, Layla watched the way Will kept his gaze on the window, where Warren's science class was outside from some reason. And Layla wondered, not for the first time since last night, how she didn't see it earlier. Will and Warren, they... Layla shook her head to clear it. There were no words. They were just... them.

It was everywhere: the way Will grinned, bright and sweet and comfortable, whenever Warren was near. The way he did when he and Layla had first gotten together, but know she had no idea if it was for real or not. And when she really thought about it, she hoped they were. Because cheating boyfriend or not, having faked it for over a year? That would be... beyond apocalyptic.

She spent lunch locked into a stall in the girls' bathroom, scribbling limericks created on the spot about betrayal and scumbag boyfriends. But eventually she chose another wall and wrote the first verse of Taylor Swift's "Should've Said No", seeingas how the first verse was pretty much the only part that really had anything to do with the three of them.

Layla wondered vaguely for a moment why she wasn't pissed at Warren as well. She should have really been more pissed with him than Will because, c'mon. How could resist Warren? Except for, well, y'know, _Layla_, what with the whole being-in-love-with-Will thing. But, no, it was Will she was angry with, the ire seeming through her blood and making her stomache churn, aching to burble out of her body and onto the floor disguised as her breakfast.

---

After school, the doorbell rang. Layla's mother wasn't home and wouldn't be for a few hours, so she dragged herself up from her literal and figurative warm bed of self-pity and answered the door. Will stood there, looking down at his shoelaces like there was nothing more interesting. Hey glanced up. "Hi. Can we talk?"

"Of course," Layla answered tightly. She didn't want to, obviously, but he owed him his chance to explain. Once they were in her room, sitting on her bed, Will grasping Layla's hands in hers, the comfort of it seeping into her despite herself, Will began.

"I hate lying to you, so I'm not gonna give you some lame speech; I'm going to tell you the truth, because I care enough about you to give you that." He took a breath and continued even though Layla was already looking away and her bottom lip was already trapped between her teeth, "I cheated on you."

Layla's voice was wavering when she said, "I thought we broke up; you don't owe me an expl--"

"Layla, you and I both know that's not true." He smiled sadly. "Thank you for trying to give me that way out, but even if we had broken up, we'd've been single for what? Maybe three hours? I owe you more than that and I'm sorry."

Layla's lip was trembling when she asked what she knew she should, "Who is it?"

Will looked down at their entwined hands and murmured, "Warren."

Layla knew the answer; still felt shaken enough to break the contact and pull her hand away, getting off the bed.

"Lay, I--"

"Don't, Will. I don't want to hear it, okay?"

Will nodded, respecting her wishes, but only for a moment. "Look, I'm not asking for you to take me back, and I'm not asking for you to leave me alone, one because I don't want that, and two because I have no right asking forsomething like that. If anyone does, it's you."

"I don't want that either."

Will exhaled. "I had hoped not. I'm just asking that, as someone I've known for years, that you forgive me, and as my friend, that you be happy for me."

"Of course, Will," Layla said, angry for the first time since Will had gotten there, "you know as well as anyone I'm not the kind of person to hate someone for this."

"I know."

Silence reigned for a while between the two, until Will patted the space beside him and gestured for Layla to return to the bed. She shook her head stubbornly and crossed her arms. Will sighed.

"Do you know how I feel, Will? No don't answer that! You can't possibly know how I feel. It doesn't work like that, and you know it. You can't cheat on me with your best friend when you know how much I trusted you, come over, give me a lukewarm 'sorry' with, admittedly, has a lot of sincerity behind it, and expect everything to be fine! What about our parents? What do you think my mom's gonna say when you all come over here and she sees the guy who was my boyfriend three days ago with some other guy? And your dad? What's he gonna say when you're out waving a rainbow flag _and _dating his arch enemy's son, huh? I could care less about the rest of the school, but I don't want our friends to think I let you screw me over like that."

Will stood and walked over to Layla, taking her in a familiar embrace, though there was no romance behind it. She tried to pull away, but now, with the tears barely supressed though her face was red and her eyes shiny, the skin around them a dark pink, she was too tired to resist and just let him hug her. "Layla, I'm really sorry I didn't tell you I cared about soeone else before,because you're my closest friend and I wouldn'thave done anything with Warren if I hadn't already liked him. I really am. But.. I don't know. I guess there was something missing, because every time I saw him it got harder for me to keep to myself what I was feeling, y'know? And maybe it was just me being implsive--which you know is normal for me--but i don't think it is. I _know _I'm i love with him, Lay, but I don't know why I didn't stop myself." He stopped, realizing he was twisting his hands in the fabric of the sweater she was wearing, noticing it was one he'd bought for her. "But I don't think I never loved you."

At this Layla swiveled her gaze back to him, and the floodgates opened and she let herself cry. In moments there was a damp spot on her shoulder, but as Layla continued to cry on him, he knew everything was okay again.

**by now i'm sure you know the drill, right?**


	9. Chapter 9

**this song is awesome. its by a brazilian rock band, but this song is pretty pop-ish. still, it's such a sweet, catchy melody, with awesome lyrics. i recomend you look for it on youtube.**

_"Se eu te disser/ Que foi difícil te esquecer/ Seria o mesmo que dizer não sou capaz/ De me curar das surras que o mundo me dar/ De prosseguir, deixar o que passou pra trás/ Eu devo desistir pra um dia ser feliz?/ Ou devo resistir?/ Eu devo insistir?/ Cantando, e mais do que isso, gritando/ E as vezes até confessando que eu não sei amar/ Pois sabendo/ Eu não estaria sofrendo/ E ainda por cima escrevendo ao invés de falar/ Será que alguém já te fez chorar?/ Mesmo sem ter proferido na palavra?/ E o que você fez?/ Tentou lutar?/ Ou compôs uma canção indo pra casa..."_

"Polo"

by Fresno

**Translation: **_"If I tell you it was difficult to forget you/ It would be the same as saying I'm not capable/ Of healing myself of the beatings the world gives me/ To continue, to leave what happened behind/ Should I give it up to one day be happy? Or should I resist?/ Should I insist?/ Singing, and more than that: screaming/ And maybe even confessing that I don't know how to love/ Because if I knew I wouldn't be suffering/ And above that, writing instead of telling you/ Has someone ever made you cry?/ Without even having delivered on their promise/ And what did you do?/ Try to fight it?/ Or composed a song as you went home?..."_

"Pole"

By Fresno

**Chapter Eight**

It was Friday. Will and Warren had been together for four days, and no one but their friends had yet to know. It was the day before yesterday that Will had gone to talk to Layla, and she was now with Larry. Yeah, just like that. Will suspected for a moment that she was with her to forget him, which, while it seemed increasingly self-centered of him, had to be true, seeing as how she was already slept with him. Girls like Layla didn't do that for no reason. But it didn't bother him; how could it, with Warren's hand sitting that high on his leg, fingers restlessly moving?

"So, I'm thinking it can't be healthy for us to eat this stuff," Zach was saying, tossing his plastic spork aside now that it was broken, the rest of it still buried in whatever it was that the lunchladies had disguised in gravy.

Magenta shrugged, pushing her plate away after having finished the only edible thing on her plate: her pear. "Can't be that bad, or the Board of Health would've come down on the cafeteria a long time ago."

"Do you think she's gone down on him yet?" Taryn asked, looking across the room at where Layla was eating a salad and Larry was still messing with his bad sex hair.

"Well, so much for that," Will stated, pushing away the sandwich he'd brought from home. "Way to kill a guy's appetite, Taz."

Taz shrugged.

Ethan wondered aloud, "I didn't know she was that kind of girl."

"She's not," Will said, quick to defend Layla.

"We know that, and you know that, but does Layla know that?" Zach said, in that way he had of saying stupid things while trying to make sense.

"I should think so, yes," Warren murmured, setting down his book and closing his eyes. His vision had gone blurry, and he'd read the same sentence eight times without the thought registering. Oh, how he missed sleep.

"Can Lipton Tea employees take coffee breaks?" Taryn asked, and Will's hand over his own, squeezing his fingers was the only thing that kept him from banging his head on the table.

---

"Does anyone know if Layla's coming?" Will asked as he stuck a DVD into the player, sitting on his livingroom floor. "And no innuendos!" he said quickly as Taz opened her mouth.

"Nah, she said she was going to Larry's house," Magenta answered.

Will nodded, and then deposited himself in Warren's lap. Warren lifted an eyebrow but said nothing, just separated his legs so Will fell between them, shifting closer so that his back was flush against his chest. Will leaned his head back onto Warren's shoulder and sighed contentedly. Warren's eyelids felt so heavy with sleepiness, and he knew today was going to be one of the days he'd get four or five hours of sleep. Will's parents didn't mind when Warren slept over, and there was enough of his clothes here that he'd forgotten. Overcome with tenderness for Will, he dipped his head and pressed his lips to the younger's jugular inhaling his scent deeply. Will took Warren's arms and wrapped them around himself, taking advantage of the moment because he knew it'd be gone too soon for his liking, the momen when Warren would think he was acting like a girl and maintain just a minimal contact, enough to let Will know he didn't need to get self-concious.

But Warren kept the embrace all through the movie.

---

The next day, Saturday, was the day it suddenly occurred to Taryn that Warren and Will had never been on a date. She pulled out her cell phone and speed-dialed Magenta's number. She filled her in on her idea, and the two started scheming.

---

Sunday, when Magenta called Layla to get her help in their great plan, Layla agreed. After a few moments of silence, she asked, "Maj, will you do me a favor?"

Hearing the hesitancy Magenta hated hearing in her best friend's--no girl should ever be hesitant with her best friend--she answered automatically, "Of course."

"Will you go to the pharmacy with me?"

**four people have this fic on author alert. a have three consecutive reviewers, and i love them to pieces, they know who they are. but really, you're reading, i know it and you do, so why won't you review? i have 41 lovely reviews, not one of them a flame, so c'mon. do a girl with a low self-esteem a favor and review. you guys get me to fifty reviews and i'll be happy as... someone with fifty reviews. i know nine reviews seems like a lot, but it's not, not really, when you have fourteen people reading. but if you're reading this after i already have fifty reviews, don't hesitate to drop me a line, i love hearing from readers.**


	10. Chapter 10

**well yesterday i found my hoobastank cd, and because it was seriously demages, the only songs i could hear were the last four, barely. so this chapter's song and the next chapter's song will be by hoobastank. on with the story.**

_"This is ours/ We made it with our everything/ Something real, as real as it could ever be/ You gave me all of yourself, I gave you all of me/ Now set it free from yourself, for everyone to see/ Well, I'm not afraid to let it out/ I'm gonna show you how I feel/ I'm not afraid to let it out/ Who cares if you don't like it/ So go ahead/ You know just what you wanna do/ Don't deny you feel it/ 'Cause I feel it too/ Take a look all around/ You'll feel it in the air/ From the sky to the ground, I feel it everywhere/ Well I'm not afraid to let it out/ I'm gonna show you how I feel/ I'm not afraid to let it out/ Who cares if you don't like it...."_

"Let It Out"

by Hoobastank

**Chapter Nine**

It was on the next day--Monday again--that the great plan--which had been upgraded to The Great Plan--was broadened to include Ethan and Zach's nonexistant relationship, bles their closeted little hearts. So Magenta and Taryn had to get Will and Warren dating, and get Zach and Ethan to see they were about as straight as circular rainbows. And because Maj and Taz were just that awesome, they managed to get the Popsicle and Glowworm both thinking they were helping with the part of The Great Plan that could be revealed to them. Zach was assigned to Taryn and Ethan to Magenta.

Monday morning, Magenta and Taryn ambushed Will will he was taking his books out of his locker. "Hey," Taryn chirped, and Magenta echoed her, less than bubbly, as always.

"Hey," Will returned cautiously.

"So, what're you doing Saturday night?" Magenta asked.

Will shut his locker and leaned back against it. "Well, nothing, really."

Taryn grinned big. "Good, then you're coming over to my house; my parents are out of town, it'll be fun. Don't worry, no drugs or orgies. And we'll get you're boyfriend to come as well; that boy needs to get out more."

"What he _needs_," Will argued, "is to sleep, which I'm going to get him to do. Plus, technically, today's our one week anniversary."

Magenta smirked. "You're so the girl," she said, following after Will, who'd begun walking down the hall to his next class.

We won't find out for sure until they screw."

Silence.

"Will?" Taryn prodded. "You haven't slept with him, have you?"

Will paused. "Define that. 'Slept with'."

"Full sex," Magenta supplied, and Taryn said helpfully, "As in, his dick in your ass."

"Then yes."

Magenta rolled her eyes. Why ask to define it if he'd done what most considered it to be?

Taryn gave Will an open-handed smack on the shoulder. "You slut!" she snapped, sounding genuinely angry. And, Christ, even with nearly a foot more in height and superstrength on his side, she was still terrifying. But Will relaxed when she pulled a twenty dollar bill out of her bra and handed it to Magenta, who in turn stuffed it into her back pocket.

"So you're coming, right?"

"I--"

"Great, see you then!" Taryn cut him off, grabbing Maj's hand and tugging her down the hall.

One down, one to go.

---

Ethan and Zach followed Warren into the library during study hall, where he was now sitting with a pile of sixteen books--Ethan had counted them as he and Zach sat down on either side of the pyrokinetic.

"Are you doing anything Saturday night?" Ethan asked, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose with a forefinger, a habit he had of doing when his glasses usually weren't falling.

"No," Warren answered, without looking up.

"Good; you should come with us to Taz's house."

Warren sighed, pushing his hair back, but keeping his gaze focused on the book in front of him. They were his friends now, he admitted--he _knew_. But they were really annoying. "I don't know; sometimes I sleep on weekends."

"At eight o'clock?" Zach asked disbelievingly.

"I don't _choose _when my insomnia goes away. Or else I'd've done it a long time ago," Warren grumbled under his breath.

"Well, then, you can sleep there. C'mon, Warren, say you'll come along."

"I'm thinking you're not going to go away until I agree, right?"

Ethan and Zach nodded like bobble-head dolls, the idea not having occurred to them, but agreeing anyway.

"Fine."

---

Will set his brown paper lunch bag on the table as he sat down, declaring, "I think we should come out to our parents."

"Okay," Warren said absently.

"Now, don't try to argue with me, it's for our own good."

"Alright," Warren repeated.

"I'm serious, W'ren, I don't want to have us sneaking around behind their backs; eventually they'll find out and get pissed, or the guilt will totally kill me."

"Fine," Warren answered.

"And I want them to know I care about you. Because I do. And I'm sure they won't have a problem with it; my mom already loves you and my dad... doesn't hate you."

"Sure."

"I--"

"Will!" Warren snapped, grabbing his shoulders and shaking him slightly, which didn't do much, so he let his hands warm considerably so he'd get the point. "I said, okay."

"Okay?" Will asked softly, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Okay," Warren repeated, voice just as soft, extending his thumbs to rub circles on Will's neck, while his hands still rest on his shoulders. Then he let go. "My mom's pretty much only home while I'm at school, so I'll skip tomorrow, alright?"

"Mm-hmm," Will mumbled, biting his bottom lip to contain his smile.

Magenta watched them with an odd smile, a mix of disgust and fondness. "You guys are _so _in love."

"Was there ever a doubt in your mind?" Taryn asked.

---

Since Margo Peace was always hard at work trying to get Garret--aka Baron Battle--out of jail, she was only at home during the day, when Warren was at school. Between eight and two, she cooked, cleaned, washed, and did all the things a mother should, except for the whole-direct-contact-with-her-son-and-actually-taking-care-of-him (or at least trying, because heaven knew how they were at that age).

Margo was quite surprised to see her son sitting on the couch at half past eight when she got home. "Warren! How are you, baby?"

"'M fine."

"Mm. Did you skip school?" She sat down next to him on the couch, sitting sideways to face him, folding her legs under her.

"Yeah. I wanted to talk to you." Warren paused; took a breath. "Ma, you know Will?"

"Yeah."

"He's... that is, he and I, we're... we're sleeping together."

Margo blinked. "You're... oh." She pushed jet black hair out of her face with her small hands before giving her son an odd look. "That's a nice way of putting it."

"Do you want me to be crude?"

"No, I just..." She sighed. "Well, you know I love you no matter what. But when were you planning on telling me?"

Warren shrugged. "I don't know. Soon?"

"So... how long?"

Warren snorted, then dodged the couch cushion his mother smacked him with. "Not like that, you pervert."

"By 12:30 it'll be eight days."

Margo smirked. "You're kind of into him, huh." It wasn't a question.

"I..." Warren looked at his hands. "Yeah, I am. I ddin't even realize how much until..." he made agesture with his hands so he wouldn't have to say it and his mother chortled, although she slapped him upside the head.

"Your fault," Warren told her. "You two brought me up wrong."

"You were broken when we got you," she said suddenly. "Your father wanted to return you, but he'd lost the receipt, so we couldn't."

"Shut up," Warren laughed.

"Then we tried eBay. Someone offered a bag of chips for you, but they'd have broken in the mail, so we didn't bother."

They fell into a comfortable silence. Then Margo said, "If he hurts you, I'm breaking his balls."

Warren snorted. "You're my hero, Ma."

---

It was after dinner that Will decided to talk to his paretns. Josie Stronghold was clearing away the dishes when Will grabbed her wrist and asked her to sit back down. "I have to talk to you two."

"Alright," Josie said slowly, sitting down across from Will. "What's this about?"

"Uhm..." Will looked at his empty plate, drops of gravy still left over from the roast his mother had made. It was probably delicious, as it always was, but Will's anxiety caused it to tast like sawdust. "Layla and I broke up."

"Oh, honey..." Josie whispered, pushing her plate and Will's to the side so she could take his hand. "I"m so sorry."

"Did you part amiably?" Steve asked sympathetically.

"Not at all, it was very friendly."

Steve rolled his eyes good-naturedly; Josie giggled.

"The thing is," Will continued, "the reason we broke it off was because... well, I was into someone else, and I didn't think it would have been fair to either of us."

"Absolutely," Josie nodded in agreement.

"So, who's the girl now? When do we get to meet her?" Steve asked.

Will took a deep breath. "Y-you know Warren Peace?"

Steve nodded. Will nodded back.

Steve waited a moment, then nodded again.

"Well?" Steve asked.

"Well what?"

"What _about _Warren, Will?" his father asked exasperatedly.

"He's the reason I broke up with Layla."

"Why?Does he like her?"

"Or does she like _him_?" Steve asked.

Will could barely keep from *facepalm*ing with his free hand. His parents were so clueless. "No, me."

Steve stared at him blankly. Will elaborated, "_I'm _the one who likes Warren, Dad. Not Layla."

Josie took her hand away to cover her mouth as she gasped. Will watched as his father got steadily more and more angry. "This isn't funny, Will," he said tightly.

Will shook his head, without looking up. "I'm not trying to be."

"Are you trying to say you're gay?"

"I don't know," he answered honestly.

"My only son..." Steve began, and Will felt himself bite his lip in fear of what was coming next. "The one who was to follow in my footsteps, to go on the save the world... is _into_ Baron Battle's son," he finished, mockingly. Not of Will, per se, but of the situation.

"Would you feel better if I told you I'm in love with him?" Will asked, suddenly angry that his father didn't think Warren was good enough for him, ddin't think that he was anymore than just 'Baron Battle's son'.

"No, I wouldn't!" he roared, standing quickly, his chair falling back.

"Steve, please--"

He ignored her. "After everything, this is how you repay me?"

"Right, so I'm the bad guy here, right?" Will shouted. "_I'm _ not the hypocrite here! _You _are the one who pretended to not have a problem with Warren! And even if I didn't love him, Dad, God, he's my best friend!"

"I don't have a problem with him!"

"Please, you can't even say his name!"

Steve opened his mouth to say something, found that he couldn't.

"I'm leaving."

"Good."

---

Warren opened the door to see Will there, a red duffel over his shoulder. He tugged on the strap. "Can I come in?"

"Of course," Warren said, but when Will didn't move, he reached out to tug him inside from his beltloops. He shut the door and locked it behind him. Warren led Will to his room, took his duffel and set it in the corner. Warren climbed on the bed, legs separated, one stretched out and the other up, propping his elbow on his knee. He patted the space between his thighs and Will sat there, leaning back against him. After a moment, Warren realized they were in the same position as that couple in that movie Magetna made them watch, the last it it was her turn, the part when they were in the cemetary. _A Walk To Remember_.

"Will?"

Will sighed. "I don't feel like talking."

Oh, my God," Warren said, looking at him. "Are you _crying_?"

Another sigh. "Yeah. If you think I'm crying becasue I'm sad, I'm not. I'm fucking pissed off."

"I didn't say anything," he murmured, lifting a hand to wipe away the tears. Will nuzzled his face into his hand, before turing around and pushing him down onto the bed, and getting on top of him. They kissed for almost forty minutes till Will whispered, "Warren, I want you."

"Now?" Warren asked. "I don't think that we should while you're like this."

"Warren, please. God, I'm so... done with this. I just want to forget today. Please, just... let me touch you?"

"I..." Warren met Will's eyes; they were still pink. "Okay."

---

It was an hour and a half later when Warren went downstairs in his sweats. There was someone at the door. It was Layla.

"Layla," Warren said awkwardly, bringing his hands up to his torso, which was covered in marks that Will had left on him, branding him. "Hi. Do you want to come in?"

"No, thank you. I just went over to Will's house; he wasn't there. I figured he'd be here." Warren realized for the first time that she looked drained; much older than her fifteen years.

"Are you okay?"

"No, I..." Layla looked up, her eyes red-rimmed and puffy. "I'm pregnant."

Warren's world skidded to a halt, and a gasp came from behind him. He turned to find Will standing there.

"Is it mine?" he choked out.

Layla bit her bottom lip as tears streamed down her face. "I don't know. I... I have to go; I'll see you guys later. I-I'm sorry."

And she left.

Warren closed the door, locked it, and took Will in his arms as it seemed the boy would colapse at any second. "Warren..." he murmured. "God... I need you."

Warren nodded, biting his lip. He brought Will back to his room, where he took Will once again. Treated him sweetly, delicate, as he was now, for the time being, whispering consolences. Will cried the whole time, not making a sound, holding onto Warren like he was his last life line.

Warren wondered afterwards, as Will whispered between silent sobs that wracked his body "I love you, I love you" if he actually was.

**cliffy!!!!! mwahahahahaha!!!!!! **

**do to ... stuff, i'm changing what i had written here. i'm just gonna say, i'd lovelovelovelove it if everyone with this fic on author alert would review. *hint, hint***


	11. Chapter 11

**yay, 56 reviews!!! joy!!!!! happy tenth chapter, everyone!!!!! w00t!!!!!!!!**

_"I'm not trying to show them who I am/ Why can't they understand the things that they're denying/ They're denying/ So what should I do to stay next to you as though I'm uneffected/ And who sohuld I be when they're judging me as though I'm uneffected/ A chance they'd never give/ To ever wanna live the life that I am made of/ There's nothing left to prove/ My heart's forever true/ What is it they're afraid of?/ Afraid of/ So what should I do to stay next to you as though I'm uneffected/ And who should I be when they're judging me as though I'm uneffected/ Before they even saw my face/ They knew that I was not the same/ And decided I was not the one for you/ For you/ So what should I do?/ I'm not uneffected/ And who should I be?/ I'm not uneffected...."_

"Uneffected"

by Hoobastank

**Chapter Ten**

Warren thought--guilt fleeting through him for his selfishness--that things might be easier--possibly better for Will if they weren't together. Will could tell his parentsthey broke up, or that he was just confused, or something--_anything_--to fix this with them.

He hated thinking like that, hated imagining what it would be like to have that taken away from him when he had it for barely over a week in the first place.

Warren didn't understand. Sure, Steve had always held a certain level of apprehension towards him, wondering if he'd turn out like Baron Battle, if he'd corrupt hisson, if he'd steal the lead in _Oklahoma_ if they did it again.

But he _did_ understand, which was the worst in all of this, save for Will having pretty much cried himself into exhaustion right in front of Warren. He understood quite plainly: Steve was indignated for a number of reasons, none of them what Will assumed them to be.

After breakfast, teeth-brushing, two handjobs and a bitemark on Warren's shoulder that would hurt for a week, and a shared shower, Warren said, while Will laughed at an old roadrunner cartoon and Warren fluffed his hair absently, "We can't just ignore this forever, y'know."

"Wasn't planning on _forever_," Will answered, sounding like an indignant five-year-old. "Just, you know... as long as humanly possible."

"Hmmm..." Warren pretended to consider this. "How about no? We're doing this now."

"Warren, c'mon, I really don't wanna--"

At that moment a key twisted in the lock and a tall attractive brunnette in her early forties came in the door. She had a mouth set in what looked like a permanent scowl, much like Warren's the first time Will saw him, and _of course_. This was Mrs. Peace. Will's eyes widened when he realized he hadn't asked how it'd gone down with her. When Warren's mother turned, the frown melted off her face and she broke out in a wide smile, identical to Warren's, revealing long canines.

"Sweetie, you better get your schoolwork made up," she offered as a greeting. "The last thing you need is to stay back again."

"Thanks, Ma," Warren said dryly.

In four long strides, she was in front of Will, and extended a hand. "A pleasure, I don't think we've formally met, I'm Margo."

"I'm Will," Will answered.

"My son's boyfriend, yes?" Margo grinned, nodding in a way that provoked Will to do the same. "Good. Now," she said, nudging him so he'd sit closer to Warren, making rom for her on the couch, she sat next to him, folding her long legs Indian style, grabbing a pen from the coffee table and sticking it into her mouth. She mumbled around it, as she twisted her long hair into a makeshift bun at the top of her head, "There are some things the three of us need to talk about." She fasted her hair with the pen, and then bent down to grab a large brown bag from under the couch. "Safety first, loves." She managed to say it without sound sarcastic. "I already gave Warren this talk when he was thirteen--"

"Thir_teen_?"

"Yeah, well," Margo shrugged. "He started early; needed an outlet after his father was in the can. Anyhow--" she pulled a box of condoms out of the bag and handed it to Warren who rolled his eyes at his mother, smirked at Will mortified expression.

"Strawberry flavored, Ma?" he asked.

"Chocolate's better, but they were out. You two have to be safe."

"I'm pretty sure I won't get him pregnant, Ma," Warren said, and Will buried his face in his hands, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like 'why me?'.

"And I'm also sure you're both clean, but that doesn't mean these condoms aren't _amazing_, and you're _going _to use them." She continued to pull items out of the bag. "This is the greatest brand of lube ever invented." She handed the small purple bottle to Will. Then, Margo took Will's hands in hers and squeezed his fingers. "I can see how happy you mke my son, and I'm so glad he found you." Margo's eyes held that same sincerity Warren's often held, the one that looked real, but that you could never know for sure because the nice words being said never seemed to reflect their personalities. "And I owe you big time. Do you have any idea how much money you're saving me? No marriage, no divorce, no grandchildren..." she trailed off. "But please, for the love of all that is holy in the world, do _not_ have sex loud enough to keep me awake, or to wake me, or for me to even know what you're doing."

"Love you too, Ma," Warren deadpanned as Will blushed in embarrassment.

----

It was only after dinner that Warren realized they'd managed to dosge the whole conversation he was trying to get to, and he waited for Will to notice Warren was looking at him. Finally Will looked up from the homework Ethan had brought over and said, "What?"

"Will..." Warren sighed.

"Oh, my God, are you breaking up with me?"

Warren blinked. ESP, much? "Not... exactly. I just... I mean, maybe it'd be better for you if we did. Just till... I don't know, you go to college or something. Whatever." He looked away.

Will crossed his arms. "What's bringing this on?"

"Nothing, just..." he shrugged. "Look, you've said you love me and--"

"And I do."

"Yeah, I believe you, but eventually you're gonna regret being with me, how the fuck do you think I'm gonna be able to live with that?!" And that's what Warren had'nt wanted to think about. Will pretty much blaming him for all of this--since it pretty much was his fault--and breaking up with him. It was better for all parties involved for the two of them to forget this, wait a few years, have it all blow over, and get back together when Steve couldn't do anything about it. He voiced this.

"What're you talking about?" Will asked, confused and still wondering if Warren really just didn't want to be with him. "He can't do anything about it _now_."

"Will, my sheets are still damp from your tears. He can do a whole lot."

Will flushed. "That wasn't because of him; at least, not all of it. It's 'cause of Layla and them and you and what's gonna happen when the kid's born and what's gonna happen when my parents find out and what's gonna happen when you get sick of me."

Warren walked around the desk where they were doing homework and lifted Will out of his seat, wrapping his arms around him. "That's never gonna happen. I... God, I'm so gone for you; when're you gonna get that?"

Will shrugged in the embrace. "I believe you."

"Good. If anyone should be worried aobut who's leaving whom here, it's me."

"I'm never gonna regret being with you, Warren. I knew what I was getting myself into when I told my parents. Ive lived with them for fifteen years, I knew what their reaction was gonna be."

"So why'd you wanna tell them?"

"I didn't wanna sneak around; and I'm not ashamed of you; I wanted them to know, that's all." Will took a breath. "My mom didn't seem mad. Surprised, yeah, but...." Will paused. "Do... do you think your mom would talk to them?"

Warren sighed. "If you ask really nice."

-----

"No way. No way. No way, no way no _way_! I'm not going. I said I'm not going You can't make me."

----

Josie heard the doorbell and got up from where she was loking through some files. Upon opening the door, she saw a tall dark-haired woman with a familiar smile.

"Mrs. Stronghold?"

"Yes?" Josie asked.

"I'm Margo Peace. Our sons go to school together?" Josie nodded slowly. "May I come in?"

A moment's hesitation passed before Josie opened the door wider. "Please."

**yeah, so it wan't nearly as angsty as it shoulda been, but when can i say. *shrugs* i don't do angst. also, i'm thinking of changing the genre. romance and what, do you goes think? angst? hurt/comfort? drama? let me know and please review for the next chappie!!**


	12. Chapter 12

**okay, 63 reviews is pretty epic. :) but, seriously, i'm pissed as heck 'cause will only let me see 61 of them. i can't see my new ones. someone PLEASE tell me what i'm doing wrong?!! i won't get inspiration if idon't see my reviews. also, just to be safe, if any of you review this fic, might as well send a copy to me in a pm. thank you ever so much for your time, if you do.**

_"I'm tired of being what you want me to me/ Feeling so faithless, lost under the surface/ Don't know what you're expecting of me/ Put under the pressure of walking in your shoes/ (Caught in the undertow, just caught in the undertow)/ Every step that I take is another mistake to you/ (Caught in the undertow, just caught in the undertow)/ I've become so numb, I can't feel you there/ Become so tired, so much more aware/ I'm becoming this/ All I want to do is be more like me and be less like you...."_

"Numb"

by Linkin Park

**Chapter Eleven**

Ten minutes later, coffee was made, and Margo and Josie were sitting across from each other at the dining room table, one trying not to squirm under the other's gaze, the other trying not to look intimidating. You choose which was which.

"So, Mrs. Stronghold--" Margo began.

"Please, call me Josie."

"Josie," Margo corrected. "Well, I'm not quite sure where to begin; I don't know how much Will's told you."

"He... said he was... in love with your son," Josie answered in a professional tone reserved for talking to clients.

"Mmm... and was that all he told you?" Margo hated having to talk to adults; they were so boring, so _guarded_.

"It was."

"Are you upset by the fact that he is in love with your husband's arch enemy's son?"

Josie sighed. "No; no, I can't be. Neither Warren nor Will have anything to do with that rivalry. It was would be... hypocritical of me to... look down on Warren because of that." She stirred her coffee almost incessantly, and stopped then to take a sip.

"I understand. And, with all due respect, I could very well have hated Will--or you, for that matter, your husband, even--on sight, but I didn't. I'd never met you or Mr. Stronghold, but I know that with the boys that happy together, if we did have anything against them being together--or against each other--we'd have to get over it quickly; there isn't much that would get in their way. I should think Will proved that yesterday," Margo said.

Josie stared into her coffee cup as if checking to see if she'd suddenly gotten new superpowers and was trying to make it boil. She looked up suddenly. "Is he angry at us?"

Margo sighed, to Josie, seemingly in sadness, but in reality, glad she had gotten through. "He's upset; but who wouldn't be?"

"Yes, I understand. But you have to realize that it was never easy for us having to be the picture perfect parents, with the picture perfect son and picture perfect family life."

Margo said gently, "But how much harder do you think it is for him? To know all that, but being in love with someone he thought you wouldn't approve of, and being the poster child for superheroes while just trying to make it through high school? At least there's two of you; Will has no one to lean on with this, except Warren, now."

Josie's mouth opened, and closed, opened again and realized there was only one thing left to say. "If they're happy, I suppose that's all that matters."

Margo nodded, smiling. "I agree. So, will you talk to your husband? Not that I want to get rid of him already, but two mopey teenagers around this house is two too many."

"Okay," Josie said, "I'll talk to Steve."

---

"I _what_?" Will yelped, and Margo rolled her eyes. The three of them were in the kitchen, and she was making the only edible thing she knew how: chocolate cake.

"I did most of the work, but you're gonna have to talk to your father, make it seem like it was your idea, not your boyfriend's mother's. Think how pathetic that would be." She gave him a moment to consider, then smacked him upside the head with a wooden spoon.

"Ow!"

"You're going," she said firmly. "Anyway, do you think this needs more chocolate?"

Warren looked into the pan. "Just a little more. And stop abusing my boyfriend."

"You're boyfriend is a pansy," she told him.

"I'm right here."

Warren ignored him. "Don't call him a pansy either."

"Still right here."

"Meanwhile, who bottoms?"

Will flushed, mumbled something about calling his parents, and left the room. Warren and Margo shared a smirk.

----

Hey, Dad. Hi, Dad. Hello, sir. _Sir? _Where the hell had that come from? Will paced in front of his front door a few moments more while trying to think of something to say. Gathering more nerve than really needed, he lifted a hand and knocked.

Almost immediately, the door opened. "Hi, Will," his mother said. She stepped aside to let him in.

I won't bother with stating here the formalities that were tossed around, because the strict, emotionless atmosphere would break your heart. I will get right to the jist of the conversation.

Will intertwined his fingers, staring that them before he looked up at his father and said, "I can't change myself for you, Dad. If I..." The word love went through his mind, but the last time he'd used it had hardly gone well. "If I care about Warren and he cares about me, can't you be happy for me? I'm still your son, he's still my best friend. What difference is there in any of this?"

Steve sighed, pushed his hair back. "I guess, nothing, really. But son, are you sure this is what you want?"

"Yes," he answered firmly. Will watched his father set his jaw, swallow down the response that was just waiting to bubble forth, and waited for what he'd say.

"He treat you good?" he asked gruffly.

Will smiled. "Yeah. Yeah, he does."

Steve said nothing more, and Josie said, "Well then, I guess that's that."

---

It was later that night that Josie came into Will's room and sat down on his bed while he did the remainder of his homework.

"Will, honey, I think we need to have a talk about the birds and the bees."

Will snorted, pushing way from his desk and turning around in his chair, straddling it backwards. "Mom, I think I already know where babies come from."

"Fine then. I'm giving you the no sex till after you're married talk."

Will did his best not to look guilty. "Okay."

"Okay." Josie cleared her throat nervously. "Will... ahem, for a young man like yourself, the ages between eleven and... thirty-two are a very confusing time. You're starting to feel new things..."

Will groaned, and put on his best listening face.

---

It was Thursday. Layla had sat with Larry for over a week, and Will was starting to wonder if Layla was officially not part of their motley little crew anymore. Speaking of Mötley Crüe, Taryn and Warren had apparently gotten Ethan to wear a T-shirt of said glam rock band. Ethan was inspecting the cover of Warren's book, _The Heroine Diaries: A Year In The Life Of A Shattered Rock Star_, which was about the band's bassist and lyricist, Nikki Sixx.

"This looks far too hardcore for me, let alone their lyrics, which all have sexual or violent undertones," Ethan said, holding up three printed sheets of the lyrics to "Bastard", "Dr. Feelgood" and "Kickstart My Heart".

"Well, yeah," Warren said, obliviou to what was wrong with that. "Hence, sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll."

Magenta was flipping through the book, and stopped on a page, interupting Warren and Taryn, who were exchanging Nikki Sixx quotes to say, "Hey, Aerosmith's "Dude Looks Like A Lady" is about Vince Neil!"

"I always loved that song," Zach said, looking up from his latest lunch food sculpture. "It reminded my of my Aunt Jonas. Well, Aunt Joanie, he preferes to be called."

Magenta made a face. Ethan laughed, and the way Ethan's and Zach gazes locked, Magenta was reminded of The Great Plan and exchanged looks with Taryn. Taz nodded. "Right," she said, seemingly to herself. "So, I'm glad things are okay now, but, uh... you guys are still coming to my house on Saturday, right?"

Will winced. "Sorry, Taz, I completely forgot. Mom, Dad, Margo, Warren and I were going to... do something. I don't know, my mom suggested it after giving me "the talk". I stopped listening after 'waiting for the right one'."

Warren snorted. "Yeah, my mother told me she called. I think we're going miniature golfing." A shrug. "Apparently, public places are safe, 'cause then our parents won't be tempted to kill each other." he grinned, exposing sharp, lickable canines. "That is, they at least won't act on it."

"Aw..." Taz pouted. "You guys promised!"

"Yeah, c'mon, the days you guys were out sick, we were, like, pissing our pants." Maj went for the guilt tripping. "And this is how you repay us? By hanging out with your parents?"

It wasn't as if Will and Warren _wanted_ to spend a Saturday night with their parents. So they let themselves get convinced.

---

In the end, it had gone down like this: Magenta decided that for Mrs. Peace and the Strongholds to bond was a good thing, so it was decided that Ethan, Zach, Warren, Will, Taz, Josie and Steve, and Margo would come over to her house. The parents could do whatever the fuck parents did, and Magenta and Taz could still go on with The Great Plan.

---

Taz arrived at Magenta's house with Zach just a few minutes after Warren and Margo had gotten there. She skipped into the kitchen while Zach followed at a normal walk, and Taz popped her head into the doorway, as two bewildered adults looked back at each other. One of them was Will's mother, the other a woman she'd never seen before. "Hello!" she chirped. "I'm Taz Averman, I'm sure Ethan's told you all about me. Are you his mom? You look exactly like him! You shouldbe proud, he's a great guy. So smart, excels in his studies--"

"Actually, I'm Warren's mother, Margo."

"Oh, _really_!" Taz pulled out a chair and sat down beside her. "Is that so? Y'know, I'm Warren's girlfriend. We have big plans to be married soon. Has he talked to you about them? He was going to get you to sign a release, since he's only seventeen, the minute we got your blessing. I'm already of age." She nodded furiously. "Mm-hmm. Been nineteen for three months now."

Margo was beside herself with giggles. Taz had definitely charmed her, as well as Josie, Zach had to hand it to her. He greeted them quickly and left the short brunnette to her antics and went to say hello to the others.

Magenta looked for her partner in crime. "I thoght Taz came with you."

"Yeah, she's talking to Warren's mom."

"Oh, my God," Warren groaned.

Will agreed, "Taz and Margo in the same room? What were we _thinking_?!"

Warren made his way into the kitchen and tried to bodily remove Taz from her chair and tug her into the next room.

"But she's your mom, sugar daddy," Taryn pleaded beseechingly, "we have to _bond_ before the wedding."

"Don't call me that," he grunted, having successfully picked her up and through her over his shoulder, proceding to carry her out of the room.

Taryn gasped as if something had just occurred to her. "Margo, will you be be my maid of honor?"

"Of course, honey," Margo laughed. Warren had the coolest friends. Especially that odd purple one that was always sarcastic. She seemed to keep this crazy one in line.

"Hey, should Will carry me? He's the strong one." Taz cackled as Warren stopped and dropped her into Will's arms.

Magenta apologized for the inconveniences and followed them out. Part one was now in session. Bonding with another person began with a simple laugh. Magenta's father would keep Steve occupied, and Margo and Josie were already exchanging stories sure to embarrass Will and Warren for the rest of their lives if they knew what they were talking about. Taz had done her part perfectly. Now for part two.

**so there's another chapter for you. also, there's a possibility i might have my internet cut off. if i take longer than a week to update--which i'm sure you all know i've never taken that long--that's the reason. i thought that had happened afew days ago, but it turned out the connection was just crappy. but i still want to take this time to apologize to my loyal readers and of course, reviewers, i love you all. i swear i am NOT abandoning this story, and even if i do go without internet, i will still be writing, and you guys can still update, letting me know how well i'm doing with this fic. it's become my baby. =) also, when i come back my number of hits and reviews will, of course, cause even MORE inspiration, so this fic is not finished, and i've yet to see an appropriate end. you guys know i would never leave you hanging. =) seeing as how i don't know when/if my net will be off, i'll continue to write and update. but i am SO not gonna write this on every chapter, so if an apology is necessary in the future, here it is. thank you all. **

**please review!!!**


	13. Chapter 13

**okay, i got to my other two reviews, but again, now my OTHER new reviews, i can't get to them!!! god, i'm SO pissed off. also, i'd just like to mention that i hate the word lover. just the word, the sound of it. i hate it. irrelevent, but i had to get it out there. anyhow, this is the coolest song. i listened to it while writing this chapter, it has such a sexy, sultry beat. go check it out if you've never heard it. yeah, i'm making it mandetory listening, so there!!!!**

_"I think I'm drowning/ Asphyxiated/ I wanna break this spell/ That you've created/ You're something beautiful/ A contradiction/ I wanna play the game/ I want the friction/ You will be the death of me/ You will be the death of me...."_

"Times Is Running Out"

by Muse

**Chapter Twelve**

Now for part two of the the Great Plan. Magenta pinned a note to the rec room in her house and then the six of them left for Taz's house. Her parents were still out of town, after all, and the next phase of the plan was to be done there.

Will, Warren, Zach, and Ethan went inside to wait for Taz and Magenta, who had to "get something" from the garage. After ten minutes, Ethan and Zach went to "help".

"What do you think they're up to?" Will asked.

"I have a few ideas," Warren grumbled under his breath.

In a few moments, Taz and Zach, in matching waiter outfits, came out to the living room. They wore white button down shirts, black bow ties, black pants and vests, with a cloth draped over one forearm. "Good evening, I'm Taryn."

"I'm Zachary, and we'll be your waiters this evening."

Warren and Will axchanged looks. "What's going on, guys?"

"Will you follow us, please?" Taz asked innocently, turning and began walking with Zach to Taz's dining room, leaving Will and Warren no choice but to follow.

The dining room table was set for two, the only source of light from the tall beige candles, effectively hiding Will's flush from the fact that his friends were setting him up with his own boyfriend. The table cloth, the design on the china, everything was nearly the same shade of light airy green as the Chardonnay in the middle of the table. Taz and Zach went over the table, pulled out the chair for each othe boys and, once they'd sat down, poured the Chardonnay. "You guys get drunk on this and your parents will maim me, got it?" Taz said. Then she resumed her professionalism and bowed her head, and left the room after Zach after he told them, "Anything you need, we'll be right beyond those doors."

And then Warren and Will were left alone. Warren was slumped slightly in his seat, arms crossed and a smirk on his lips at the way Will was sitting rather stiffly. "This is awkward."

Warren smirked wider, spread his legs and watched as Will's eyes followed the movement. Magenta came out a few seconds later, holding two plates, placed one in front of each superhero. "It's edible, I promise."

They had baked ziti, which apparently Magenta made, seeing as how the other three's talents in the kitchen went as far as setting the table and making ice. Afterwards there was chocolate mousse, which Taryn had made. Warren and Will looked at it cautiously before the girl rolled her eyes, tugged on one of her dreadlocks and snapped, "Okay, I bought it, alright?"

And they dug in. So, it was still awkward--as awkward as any first date would be--but they were talking, talking about the normal things best friends turned lovers talked about. Warren was talking about the number of dares his bst friend had made him do when he was ten, when Will absently reached across the table and used his thumb to wipe away a residue of chocolate mousse off Warren's lower lip before bringing it back to his mouth. He froze then, realizing what he'd done, and Warren smiled. It could've easily been stages as a seduction, but no, Will had done it completely naturally, which, Warren had to admit, was a lot sexier. "Thanks," he said. "Any left?"

A laugh. "Not sure. C'mere, I'll check."

Warren leaned forward across the table and Will mirrored his efforts. "So?" Warren prompted.

Will's eyes focused on Warren's mouth, then darted up to his eyes before going back. "Yeah, there's some."

Instead of going with his thumb, Will slowly swept over Warren's lower lip with his tongue. Warren smirked against his mouth and opened his mouth, letting Will's tongue inside. Their tongues met, tangled, and the kiss continued for long moments, Will's hand entangled in Warren's hair, one of Warren's hand sneaking around Will's neck. With a soft wet sound they separated. Will's pupils had diluted considerably, and Warren flicked his tongue over his canines that way he knew drove him up the wall. The way Will swallowed was quite endearing. When Warren spoke, his voice was rough and much lower. "C'mere. You're too far away."

Will got out of his chair and walked around the table, lifting Warren and the chair and setting it back down a few feet away from the table, then straddled Warren's lap. He lowered his mouth to his neck and began sucking, doing so harder at the groan he felt Warren swallow. When he pulled away, the lovebite was already turning purple. Warren lifted his hand to cradle Will's face, his thumb on his chin. He pressed down slightly and Will's mouth opened a little under the pressure. They kissed again, languid and in sync, searching out each other's tongues. Will pulled away far too soon for Warren's liking and leaned their foreheads together.

"I'll have you know," he murmured, "I'm totally considering putting out on the first date."

Warren laughed. "You wanna get out of here?"

"Yeah. Your house or mine?"

"Yours is closer."

Taz came out of the kitchen and stopped in front of the table, taking their empty plates, and said as she left, "Don't think we won't notice you two are gone. We may not be geniuses but you two gone is kind hard to miss. Have fun, and Margo said to tell you, 'no glove, no love'." She put the plates in the kitchen and the boys got up and went for the door. Before they got all the way there, Taryn skipped back and stood on tip-toes to kiss their cheeks good-bye. They still had to crouch down a bit. "Have fun, guys."

"Hey, thanks a lot, Taz. This was great," Warren said sincerely.

She grinned. "Meanwhile, your boy's gonna get some serious blue balls if you don't let him fly you guys home."

She watched them go. One couple down, one more to go.

---

Ethan and Zach sat, awkward and shifting every few seconds, trying not to watch as Taryn and Magenta devoured each other's faces.

"That looks...wet," Ethan said.

"Very," Zach agreed. He cleared his throat, and crossed his legs to cover growing problem. Taryn and Magenta separated.

"You don't _have_ to stay, you know," Magenta pointed out.

Zach looked at Ethan. "You wanna go to my house? We can have a _Mission Impossible _marathon."

Ethan considered. "_Top Gun _too?"

Zach groaned. "You know I hate that movie."

"C'mon, Zach, just this once?"

Zach looked doubtful. Ethan had this way of watching every movie five or six times before he got bored with it. But... gah! Why did he have to do that with his _eyes_?! "Okay."

They left as well, and Magenta and Taz exchanged a ridiculously choreographed high five they'd practiced the night before. "Shouldn't be long now."

"Meanwhile, how can there be self help _groups_? Doesn't that kind of defeat the purpose?"

Magenta groaned and pulled her in for another kiss.

Taz had the best girlfriend _ever_. Who else would put up with her this long?

**i'm getting seriously sick of 's problem with letting me see my reviews. but i think if i update, it'll let me see the reviews for the previous chapters, and i can only see the new ones with another chapter posted. about to test that theory. **

**anyhow, there's another chapter for you guys. hope you liked it; please review!!!!! **


	14. Chapter 14

**soooooooooooooo sorry it's taken so long, but i lost my muse for this fic; i know what i still want to happen; don't know how to get there; need some fillers, need inspiration, need chocolate, music, and coffee. especially coffee, because coffee will get rid of my headache and give me inspiration and cure cancer. so here's another chapter for you, girls. oops, and kody. sorry about that, hon. :P**

_"I know that it's plain to see/ We're so in love when we're together/ And I know that I need you here with me/ From tonight until the end of time/ You should know, everywhere I go/ Always on my mind, in my heart/ In my soul/ You're the meaning in my life/ You're the inspiration/ You bring feeling to my life/ You're the inspiration/ Wanna have you near me/ I wanna have you hear my sayin'/ No one need you more than I need you/ When you love somebody/ Till the end of time/ When you love somebody/ Always on my mind/ No one needs you more than I..."_

"You're The Inspration"

by Chicago

**Chapter Thirteen**

Warren _hated_ the term "post-coital bliss". It sounded fruity and stupid, so he always just thought in terms of "Just fucked-like-bunnies exhaustion". It was far more effective. And having his interrupted by two girls with far too colorful hair--yeah, he was a hypocrite when he was tired and knew he wouldn't be able to sleep anyway--called to tell him to "drag his ass back to Taz's house before their parents find out they were gone" was a bitch.

But after a promise of being able to go right to sleep--or at least to bed--as soon as both got to their homes got both of them back into their clothes and back to Taz's house. Will could barely remember saying goodnight to everyone; soon he was tugging off his clothes and climbing into bed in his boxers. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow.

Just fucked-like-bunnies exhaustion is not to be messed with.

---

Monday again. Will was sure this was a conspiracy, all these Mondays piling on, sneaking up. And always after Sunday. Coincidence? He thought not. He considered telling Warren, but he would've just told him he was wasting valuable brain cells. They were in Warren's living room, studying, with Will sitting sideways, leaning back against the armrest with Warren sitting between his legs, pillowing his head on Will's stomache.

"Do you think she's gonna keep it?"

"As in, have a nine month pregnancy and birth it? Yeah." Warren snorted. "We are talking about Layla Williams, after all. The girl won't eat an egg; she wouldn't get an abortion. But, after it's born? Give it a name, keep it and raise it? I have no clue." They were quiet for a few moments are the contemplated this. "Do you want her to?"

Will shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, I'm barely sixteen; I can't raise a kid. I can _have_ one, though. Apparently."

"Do you want it to be yours?"

"Won't really make much difference to me. I'm gonna do the same thing either way."

Warren smiled slightly. "What's that?"

Will shrugged again. "Be there."

And Warren was at a loss for words. When had his best friend gotten so insightful? He shifted, pulled himself up until he was lying pretty much on top of Will, head leaned back on his shoulder. Reaching up, he carded a hand through Will's shaggy golden-blond hair and kissed him. It wasn't really all that good from the odd angle, but--somehow managing not to break much contact--as Warren turned over on top of Will so that they were facing each other, chests molded together, unable to tell where one body ended and another started. The kiss changed from _huh, kinda weird _to _holyshithotterthanhellintense _as it always seemed to be before they fucked, and they weren't even hard yet. Warren heard Will make a noise that he knew he'd deny with his dying breath when he stopped kissing him to sit up, fisting his hands in Will's shirt to pull him up as well. He pushed the blue button down Will was wearing over a white henley and dropped it. He felt the remote next to his foot fall but didn't hear it hit the ground because then Will was kissing him again and the world had dissintegrated around them.

An indeterminable amount of time later-their kisses languid and lingering, not desperate and frantic and quick and moving down to jawlines and necks, so not implying anything more than just _this_, this indescribable _now_ feeling--Will released Warren's mouth, no longer kissing him but close enough that they're breathing the same air, if not each other's, and he said, "We are _not_ doing anything on this couch. Your _mother_ sits on this couch, and it's increasingly creepy how she manages to figure out whenever we've cristened a room."

Warren lefted an eyebrow. "The reason she knows when we've fucked is because I always have new bruises; she explained why you do that, too." And he climbed off Will, picking up their notebooks so they can sit at the kitchen table to study for real.

"What? What'd she say?" Warren didn't answer, and Will knew he was probably holding in laughter at the way he was so predictable, but he had to know. "_What_?" he whined.

Warren smirked, setting down their textbooks and notebooks. "_No_thing, she didn't say anything."

Will grabbed Warren, pushed him against a wall, pressing him to it with one hand and with the other pinning his hands over their heads. "_Tell _me," Will said, changing his expression to what Warren has privately dubbed The Puppy Eyes. His hands moved down to clutch his hips in a deathlock grip, and when he tried to move he could feel bone shifting ever so slightly. But Warren has never had a low tolerance for pain. He answered anyway.

"She said that, since you're the girl and are annoyed about it, you "mark your territory" so that you can feel like the alpha, or something." He didn't mention that his mother had a habit of leaving out enormous parts of dialogue in their conversations in her head, and expecting everyone else to still be able to follow. He also didn't mention that Margo had been reading a book called _The Mating Habits of the Wolf: An In-Depth Look In The Life of Timberwolves_.

"Dude, your mom's, like, insane." They jump at the sound of Margo's mocking voice, and then relax. Margo never really cared when she found them in comprmosing positions, so their discomfort faded away as well.

"Hey Mom," Warren said.

"Hi Margo," Will echoed with a little wave.

"What do you guys want for dinner?" Margo asked, taking a three inch stack of takeout menus from a drawer in the kitchen, grabbing the phone as well. Warren lifted an eyebrow at Will, who smirked in return, agreeing to whatever Warren was planning. Warren pulled out a chair from the table and sat down, motioning to his lap and Will sat, sideways so that if he turned his body slightly, he could look at Warren, the curiosity open on his features. Warren reached up and waited for Will to meet him halfway. He did. They began kissing, easy and slow enough so that it wouldn't turn into anything more, but not so slow that it would--well, turn into anything more.

"Pizza, Chinese, Thai, or Indian?" Margo asked without looking up.

They answered in unison, without separating, the words completely incoherent, but apparently Margo had some practice at this.

"Great, I wanted pizza too. What toppings?"

They answered again, still not separating and Will ran his hands through Warren's hair, twisting his fingers around and around, untangling and starting over.

Margo looked at them with a pleading face that neither saw. "Oh, can't we have _half _pepperoni and _half _with all that gunk you guys like? That stuff is nasty, don't know how you can stand it when pizza's only really supposed to have cheese on it."

They mumbled something into each other's mouths and Margo snapped, "Oh, don't give me that; you know damn well pepperoni cannot be compared to pepper and bacon and sausage and wheatever the hell else you put on--_except _anchovies and mushrooms, I know, I know," she added before they could correct her. "Whatever. Taz, what do you want, sweetie?"

"Put me down for a calzone," Taz answered, and, yeah, they stopped trying to suck each other's tonsiles out after _that_.

"Taz, what're you doing here?" Warren groaned.

"Basking in the warmth of your welcome," Taz deadpanned. "And I know how much you guys love me, so I came to keep you comany. No, I just came to let you guys know, that Layla went to get DNA tests today. Y'know, for the baby."

---

It was past midnight, Will had already gone home, but was now on the phone with Warren. "I found your list." Will could hear the smile in Warren's voice.

"What list?" he asked, but was already headpalming mentally.

"Of baby names. Seriously, Sinatra? you name your kid that and he'll hate you forever."

"That was for a girl, dumbass."

"You want the baby, don't you?" It wasn't much of a qestion. Will shrugged, though he knew Warren couldn't see it.

"It wouldn't ruin my life."

Warren closed his eyes. He wished he could see Will so that he could say what coursed through him everytime he did. He settle for just saying, "I... you amaze me, you know that?"

And Will laughed.

**i have 76 review; I'm ecstatic!!! thank you all soo much, you've no idea how happy you've made me. so sorry i haven't responded to my reviews, but my internet's been going nutters, so i haven't had enough patience to log in. but, 26 people have this fic on author alert. if you all review, i'll have *counts on fingers* i'll have 102 reviews!!! this is where i will mention my lovely reviewers, cuz you're the greatest. cookies for everyone who helps me get closer to 100 reviews. **

**except for NaughtyandSpicyGirl, who'll get a chocolate cake with chocolate icing and chocolate flowers on top because her reviews are awesome when she's had a lot of sugar. well, she's awesome all the time. XD TE AMO CARIÑA!!!!**

**asm613: your reviews are great, and you turned off the PM feature so i'm telling you here how fuzzy you make me feel when i read your heartfelt reviews.**

**AsheyPancakes, thanks for reviewing hon. glad you're enjoying the story. **

**VampiressKatasandra, thanks for reviewing, your comments are MADE of win. **

**Loki9164, thank you for reading. i'm happy you think it's funny.**

**Miss Maddie, no clue what to say. just know that your reviews are read over and over and a smile is brought to my face everytime.**

**YaoiHellion, you are amazing. thank you for your colorful reviews.**

**Goddess of the Rain Pixie, thank you for the sincerity you use in your reviews. thank you for spending your time on this fic. **

**Kody Konfused, you're awesome sweetie. that's all there is to say. thank you ofr reading my stuff.**

**YaoiPrincess16, your reviews are so fresh and open, i know that you must be enjoying this fic. thank you for that. **

**musicMANIAC08, you're the greatest, babe! love you!! i don't even know if you're still reading though. :( hope you are. **

**uchihababe-chan, thank you for reading. your reviews are so sweet.**

**Ravencaller, you're the best, you know that? oh, of course you. you're just that awesome.**

**Nhrive, thank you for reading. i hope you still are, even though you haven't reviewed anymore. hope you're enjoying. **

**amnethyst-emerald, i hope you are still enjoying the story. i'm sorry if it no longer meets your expectations, if that's why you haven't reviewed anymore.**

**BlazePheonix, hope you still like the story, thank you for reading. **

**Aurelia Starr, hope you're still reading, and hope you review, cuz your comments are awesome and made me so happy the time you did.**

**ORLY Kylee, i hope you still read my fic, hope you still like it. also, i'm still a review junkie, if you wanna help me out... *hint, hint* XD**

**AM83220, i hope you still like this fic. you haven't reviewed anymore, hope i haven't let you down.**

**that's everyone. PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! also, if you guys wanna give me an idea for the next chapters, cuz i'm burned out. songs would be good too, if you have no ideas. rock, please, nothing by anyone with the last last Lovato, Jonas, or Cyrus, as is law in ParanoidTheseDaysLand.**


	15. Chapter 15

**soooooooooo sorry it took so long to update, but i lost all inspiration. also, there's some german in this chapter, all the translation is at the end except for one part. please don't go looking for the translation of google. i need it to remain unknown what's being said for future references.**

_"You can show me all the old scars you got from all the old wars/ You fought so you could tell me/ "I'm not the one who needs the saving"/ You can say what you want but it's only getting better/ It's alright, oh baby, it's alright/ You can try to deny but it's only getting better/ It's alright, oh baby, it's alright now/ You think it feels right but you don't know/ You got everything you wanted but you're not sure/ You can say what you please/ If it's all that you need to believe it's getting beter/ You can blame it one me/ There's a million ways to hold on/ To everything that goes wrong/ The sad songs/ Know that all these different reasons/ Are just a million different ways to say the same old things..."_

"Blame It On Me"

by Parachute

**Chapter Fourteen**

It was Thursday evening of that same week that Warren was sitting in the living room, television on mute until Will got back from Warren's room as he read Stephen King's _It_ for the third time, this time for a book report. The phone rang and he grabbed it. "Hello?"

"I... hi. Yeah, uhm. Hi. It's me."

"Layla." Warren was proud of how his surprise didn't seep into his voice. "Hi. Uh, what up?" Unbeknowst to him, Will had just gotten to the bottom of the stairs, being silent as not to disturb Warren's conversation.

"Oh, nothing, just... is Will around?"

"Yeah, he's here, but he's upstairs."

"That's okay, I really just wanted to talk to you first." Layla sighed over the line. "I really miss you."

Warren was stunned. "I really miss you, too, Lay," he answered honestly. Across town at Layla's house, the redhead was stretching out on her bed--mindful for her stomache even though it was swollen so little it could be blamed on her being bloated because of her period--, at the same time Warren was stretching out on the couch.

Layla went on, "Will and I were bound to break up anyway; I hope you know that I don't blame you for any of it."

Warren exhaled hard. "Layla, sweetie..." The endearment slipped out naturally; she'd been gone for nearly a month, and they'd been so close. "Thank you. I'd been worried..."

Will's eyebrows furrowed. The hell?

Layla continued, And I'm... I mean, I understand that he doesn't want to be with me, and that's fine. I don't really want to be with him either, not anymore. And, well, I know I didn't like Larry; it was just a rebound thing, but... he seems like someone I could like for real, eventually, you know?"

Warren smiled a little. "Yeah, I do."

"I knew you would. And so... I lost my boyfriend, big deal. Does that mean I have to lose my best friend too?"

"You didn't lose me," Waren answered automatically.

A light, maybe slightly forced laugh. "Thanks. But I don't want to have lost Will, either."

"You _didn't_, Lay, I swear." He added as an afterthought, "Everyone misses you."

"I miss them too. I... I'm gonna sit with you guys at lunch tomorrow, okay?"

Warren smiled. "That'd be great."

"But I don't want them to know. Don't even tell Will."

"Don't worry; I won't tell him."

Will thought, _What was that supposed to mean?_ He was sure Warren had meant him. Listening to one side of the conversation was making him curious like nobody's business.

"So, listen, I'm gonna go now, okay?" Layla asked.

"Yeah, that's fine. So, I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Definitely."

They said their goodbyes and hung up. When Will heard Warren say "Bye", he said, "Oh, were you on the phone?"

Warren turned to him. "Yeah. That was Layla."

Will came over and sat on his thighs, knees pressed to either side of Warren's hips. "Did she get the results of the tests yet?"

"Not yet." He said it with no hesitance, and his eyes held a completely open look, the same one he always had when it wasn't annoyance or anger, and Will knew Warren most likely wouldn't keep secrets from him. At least, not about something that would hurt him later on.

---

It was lunch. Taz had learned German from listening to so many Die Toten Hosen songs, and was teaching some to Zach, who'd impressively learned quite easily. Ethan hadn't been interested in learning how--after all, he was already top in his French class--, but it was quite fun to watch them hurling insults at each other; at least, that was what it seemed like they were doing.

"Sie Teststreifen, würden Sie nicht wissen, verrückt, wenn sie etwas in der Sie - ach, wissen Sie," Taz told Zach, flicking a pea at him. *

Seemingly offronted, Zach returned, "Ach, ja? Nun, sie wissen nicht verrückt wenn Charlie Manson war das Essen von Obst-Loops auf Ihrer Veranda."

Taz stopped, blinked, than said, "Kumpel... Hast de ernsthaft nur quote Suicidal Tendencies?"

"...Ja."

Taz clapped happily before responding with, "Ich bin so stolz!"

"Do you guys mind translating?" Ethan finally asked. "Or at least talking in our native language?"

Zach turned to him and grinned big, fondness shining in his eyes. "Ach, mein Herz, mein Herz! Etwas für Sie." He pushed his hands through his hair and went back to the conversation he and Taz'd been having before they started talking in German, ignoring the way Taz was positively _beaming _ about whatever it was that Ethan had said. "So what had you been saying, Taz? I think it had to do with paint."

"Oh, yeah!" Taz pulled the chopstick out of her bun and put it in her mouth as she rearanged it, loose black strands and colored dreadlocks falling over her face before she piled it messily on top of her head again. "I just don't get why when people say there's thousands of star in the universe we all believe it, but when they say there's wet paint they _have _to go over and touch it."

Magenta looked about to respond when she looked at something beyond Ethan's shoulder with a slightly surprised, but happy smile on her face. Ethan turned around. "Layla," he said, surprised.

"Hey," she answered with a smile of he own. She sat down next to Ethan, across from Will. She didn't say 'Can I sit down?'; it was like she had always been there. "People sometimes just need to see things for themselves, y'know? Anyone can tell you lies; anyone can tell you truths, too. But you'll never really know if you don't check it out for yourself."

Whether she was talking about et paint and stars, or life in general, she was back. The conversation proceded from there, and it all started again.

***you dipstick, you wouldn't know crazy if it bit you in the--oh, you know. **

**oh, yeah? well, you wouldn't know crazy of charlie manson was eating fruit loops on your front porch.**

**dude... did you seriously just quote suicidal tendencies?**

**yeah.**

**i'm so proud!!!**

**36 people have this fic on author alert, and i'm ecstatic, thank you soo much you guys. but--i hate to admit this, after all, "this won't mean a thing come tomorrow" is my baby; it seems like such a cop-out--i'm totally without inspiration for this fic. well, that's not quite true. i don't know how to explain it. but what drives me to write on is feedback, and while i'm getting a ton, i know there's a lot more people out there who are reading but not reviewing. i hate being so bitchy like this, but if EVERYONE doesn't review... well, i'm not gonna say that i'll stop writing, but it will be much harder to do so; updates will be supoer sporadic and eventually--inevitably--will stop. it's not a threat, i promise. but if i don't get reviews i can't write, and then i'll have to wrap this story up with a really half-assed last chapter that i know will suck 'cause i know how my writing is when i'm not appropriately inspired. sorry guys.**

**:( but it can all be fixed if you REVIEW!!!!!**


	16. Chapter 16

**guys, i'm sure if you're reading this, you read all my a/n's, so i know you know i haven't been posting because of--hello, no internet!! but don't look no farther, baby i'm back, baby i'm back, (yeah) i'm here to cater to you... (anything that you want me to do, i'll do it) baby i'm i'm back... **

**like, yeah, i went there. XD so, this chapter is mostly focused on ethan and zach, who are pretty much the whole topic of most of you guys's reviews, other than **stop writing and you die **and **i wish i had a mom like margo**. i may have paraphrased both of those. XD oh, i've missed you all sooo much. have you guys missed me?**

_"Save a tear till the curtain will fall/ Well, I'm saving them all for you/ Knock on wood/ Is it understood/ That I'm saving them all for you/ Hey, hey, hey/ Love is a hustle just a moment behind/ Gonna take on the time/ To find out if my love is soul deep/ Spinning the heart round a wire/ Soul deep/ A heavenly wave/ Soul deep/ Heating the heart like a fire/ Soul deep/ Taking my breath away..."_

"Soul Deep"

by Roxette

**Chapter Fifteen**

Larry and Layla had broken up. Granted, it wasn't exactly unexpected; no sixteen year old should have to have a kid; Layla had the whole abortion thing strictly ruled out in her head, Will would loyally do the best friend and possible father thing, and Warren... well, Warren would just be there. His best friend was going to have a kid; where else would he be? Out of respect to Will and Warren, even though it may have _seemed_ irrelevant to the situation

Taz and Magenta had this thing about going public: they hated it for themselves, flat out refused, but pushed everyone they'd played matchmaker with to do it. Because really, what kind of tribute to their sheer awesomeness would it be if no one actually knew of their awesomeness? But see, Warren could give a flying fuck if anyone knew about his and Will's--he hesistated to call it a relationship; they'd been together for, what, a month?--, and Ethan and Zach, well. They were still clueless. Hey, Taz and Maj were good, but they weren't miracle workers. They were explaining this to Layla at lunch while the boys were absent. Will and Warren were AWOL, Zach was making up a math test, and Ethan was in the library.

"Because see, what you have to understand is that matchmaking? Is an art," Magenta explained monotonously, in a way that indicated that Taz had rehearsed this with her, if the way she was mouthing everything her girlfriend was saying was any clue.

"An art!" the short dreadhead repeated with emphasis.

"And the people we are matchmaking--"

"Coupling," Taz corrected. Magenta stared unblinkingly at her till Taz grinned big and blew her a kiss.

"The couples we matchmake have to have at least a mutual interest in one another--"

"Which Ethan and Zach do have of course," Taz said for Layla's benefit only, because she and Magenta had already gone over this.

"But they don't see it," Layla said thoughtfully.

"Exactly!" Taz answered with an enthusiastic nod, making herself look like a bobblehead.

"Which is why we have to have at least one of them--preferably Ethan--see that."

Warren and Will sat down, and the girls--although really wanting to know--knew better than to ask. Warren was curiously evasive about the details of their relationship. Layla smiled kindly at them, Will returning it and Warren sending her a wink as she patted her tummy almost absently.

---

"I got my DNA tests back," Layla said suddenly in the middle of _Terminator 2_. Everyone turned to her and the semi-loud wet squelching sound of various jaws falling open in unison, and Taz squealed in a way that some dogs might possibly have understood.

"So who's is it?" Will asked, voice just a little shaky. He was nervous for a reason he felt should have been obvious but he himself couldn't figure out.

Layla shrugged. "I don't know; I didn't open it yet."

"Why?" Maj asked.

"Nervous."

"Well, we can remedy that!" Taz beamed and ran to Layla's backpack, taking a big manilla envelope out. "No, Taz!" Ethan said, taking it out of her hand in a noble attempt at keeping her from gossip. "It's not yours to read."

"I might be the father, I'll open it," Will said in an effort to steady his nerves. He grabbed it before Ethan could pull it closer to his body.

"Oh, no you don't!" Taz snapped. She used her gravity control to hold Will's arm down, but of course he'd try to keep it up defiantly. It was really interesting to see: Will's arm in midair, jerking up and down every few seconds, a look of hard determination on both his and Taz's faeces. Was Will stronger enough to defy gravity? Before they could find out the answer, Zach had grabbed the envelope and sprinted away with a crow of victory. They followed him and shouting ensued till Warren exchanged a look with Layla and, as he towered over everyone else anyway, plucked the envelope out of Zach's hand, which was up in the air, and set it on fire.

"Well, that's the end of that," Magenta muttered and turned back the movie to watch what they'd missed.

---

Sunday morning, Ethan had finally found what he'd been looking for for ages on the internet. No, nothing like _that_, but what it was that Zach had said to him that day during lunch in German. Either the blonde had been talking to him about units of frequency...

...or Zach had called Ethan "my heart". And maybe he was totally off here, but Ethan had a feeling it was the second choice. Of course, they were talking about a guy who dressed like Cleopatra for Halloween last year. He'd do anything for a laugh. Ethan shrugged it off and when to watch early morning cartoons.

**haha, gotcha!!! bet you guys almost thought you'd find out who the father was and that ethan and zach would get together, huh? but i'm not nearly done with this story yet, so... nope.**

**guys, my teeny tiny dinosaur brain is too fried to try and count all the days the w's have been together, but like i said in the second paragraph, they've been together about a month. not sure how much of the story i've skipped to get them that far, but still, that is what i've decided. layla, i think, should be about three months pregnant, in case you're wondering. i don't know how much it shows in TWO months, when the w's got together, but i'm hoping it's not much. **

**also, a reviewer asked this, and i answered, but i thought i should let you all know as well. taz is the only gay one in the group. magenta is bi, layla is straight, warren is polysexual (attracted to more than one sex but unwilling to identify themselves as bi), will is sort of straight, sort of pansexual (likes people based on personality, sometimes identified as gender blind), zach is straight--ethan is his exception, isn't that adorable?!?!?1--and ethan is asexual, with zach as his exception.**

**reviews are love!!! and i'd rather you gimme gimme gimme love than a man after midnight. sorry, had to get that out. btw, next chapter will be longer, i promise. this is just a filler.**


	17. Chapter 17

**ladies and gents!! i have decided that i want an internet wifey!! just because i'm straight doesn't mean i can't have an internet spouse. if anyone wants to internet-marry me, let me know.**

_"I could stay awake just to hear you breathing/ Watch you smile while you are sleeping/ While you're far away and dreaming/ I could spend my life in this sweet surrender/ I could stay lost in this moment forever/ Where every moment spent with you is a moment I treasure/ Don't want to close my eyes/ I don't want to fall asleep 'cause I miss you baby/ And I don't wanna miss a thing/ Even when I dream of you/ The sweetest dream would never do/ I'd still miss you baby/ And I don't wanna miss a thing..."_

"I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing"

by Aerosmith

**Chapter 16**

Four months later, in the August before Will, Layla, Taz, Magenta, Zach and Ethan's junior year and Warren's senior, Layla was expected to give birth "anytime now". After months of reading to it--she didn't want to know if it was a boy or a girl, but in the past two months had started looking at names--, walking through the baby clothes section of Walmart a few more times than necessary, waking her parents up at four in the morning to buy her caramel apples and gnocci and papaya milkshakes with spaghetti, and flipping off the white collar conservatives in the bus who'd stare at her stomache.

A week after Layla had told them all the doctors said she was to give birth "any day now", Warren asked Will, "Are you scared?" He put his hand between them on the couch, letting him know that he wouldn't iniciate it, but if he needed the comfort, he'd give it freely.

Will took the offer, grabbing Warren's hand and squeezing his fingers hard. "Balls in a blender fucking terrified," he admitted with a weak artificial laugh. "Is that pathetic?"

Warren didn't answer, just said, "I have to get something. I'll be right back." Just as he reach the foot of the stairs, hower, the phone rang, and he stopped, seemingly deciding between ignoring it for not, before he went over and answered it. "Hello?... What?! Okay, calm down... Alright, stay calm! For fuck's sake... Alright, he'll be there."

Will was next to him when he hung up and said, "Layla went into labor."

---

They were the only ones in the hallway, save for a very few nurses who'd walk briskly by. Ethan and zach were on their way, Taz was filling out paperwork, and Magenta was with Layla. They should have been pacing in the waiting room like expecting fathers in American soaps, but instead they were sitting on hard plastic chairs in a hospital hallway, with Will switching from holding Warren's right hand to his left hand, because he was sqeezing too hard to keep from cutting off circulation.

"Do you think... I mean, if Layla--because I don't think Larry1s gonna.. so that automatically means me, right? Do you think... I mean--"

"Stronghold," Warren interrupted, rubbing the feeling back into his hands before sticking one back into Will's grasp, "spit it out."

Will looked at him quickly. "I could _act_ like the father, right? I could be the father, even if I'm... y'know, not. If Larry won't and Layla doesn't mind, and if I wanted to."

Layla won't mind, Larry wouldn't care if the kid were the next Steve Harris, and you _do _want to. Everything's gonna be okay, Stronghold. I promise."

Will kissed him, separating a familiar voice began screaming obsenities that neither ever thought would leave Layla's mouth. By this time Taz came over and dropped gracelessly into a chair next to Warren in a way that must have hurt. She fell asleep quickly to Layla's shouts of pain.

---

Twelve hours later, 8:47 a.m. on a Tusday morning in late August, a crying baby sneezed and nearly set fire to a nurse before resuming the crying. Dr. Martinez laughed and lifted the baby to show Layla, saying, "Congradulations. It's a girl."

---

She was beautiful, Warren decided, watching her stretch a tiny, long fingered hand to Will's index finger. She had brown eyes--like her mother's. Thin eyebrows that matched her wisps of red-brown hair; fleshy pink cheeks and stubby little nails. Long eyelashes--Larry had long eyelashes, but so did Will. If Warren looked hard enough, he could find traces of both in the little girl, and Larry probably wouldn't be around either way, so he didn't worry about it. She was a pyrokinetic, which of course earned her Warren's favor if she hadn't had it before. The little girl was in Layla's arms, and Will was now looking at her birth certificate. "Samhain?" Will asked dubiously, pronouncing it just as it was written.

"That's saw-win, you neanderthal," Taz said with a smack upside his head. "It's a beautiful name, Lay. Very fitting."

Layla was only allowed three visitors at a time. Warren, Taz, and Will were seeing her now. "It's a Celtic festival," Warren explained.

"And it means 'end of summer'," Layla clarified.

"Let me hold her?" Warren asked gently. Layla carefully arranged the baby in her friend's arms. Will came over around him and talked to her, because Warren didn't really know how.

"Hi! Hi-hi, little Samhain. Hi little baby that has my nose. Samhain. Samhain, go clean your room! Samhain, no boys till you're twenty-five." He thought about it for a few moments. "Yeah, I could work with this."

Warren found his voice. "Hello, Samhain Ariella." He took her tiny little hand and stretched his hand under it, a funhouse mirror reflexion. "I'm Warren."

Samhain Ariella blinked her large all-seeing eyes and gurgled. Warren was the only one to keep from crying. Just barely.

---

"What were you going to say, before Maj called? You were going to get something." Will shimmied out of his jeans and sat on Warren's bed. They were skipping school to sleep; Margo had already gone to work.

Warren paused for a moment. Then he nodded and went over to his desk, pulling something out of the top drawer. He tossed it to Will, who caught it easily. He turned the white box over and over in his hand for a while before opening it. Inside was a ring, a simple silver one with that day's date engraved on the inside.

"So you wanna be with me forever, or what?" Warren asked, arms crossed and a smirk on his face. He came over, standing at the edge of the bed. Will unfolded his legs and raised himself up onto his knees, which made him as tall as Warren. He pulled his mouth to his own. "I love you," he said helplessly when they separated.

"I love you too," Warren answered quietly.

Will's eyes widened a little, but he didn't say anything. He didn't want this to be special. He wanted it to be normal. Warren slipped the ring onto his finger.

"Fuck me," he returned. And Warren did.

**yes, samhain ariella was born at seven months. i got impatient. so sue me. review for the next chappie!!! all of you, including the one's that never review and have this story on author alert, because i really want to know what y'all think. c'mon. review or i won't write the next chapter, this one was hell to write without the inspiration reviews give me.**


	18. author's note: please read

this is just an author's note. if you're one of my readers and don't read author's notes, just stop here and wait for the next email saying i've updated, because this in't a new chapter.

i'd like to, first off, thank all my reviewers, because i loved each and every review, and read them all the time.

second, i'd like to apologize for the lack of updates. unfortunately, i lost quite a bit of inspiration. one of these days--i promise on nikki sixx--i will rent sky high again and write more to this fic. pinky swear.

third, in regards to the last chapter, and some reviews mentioning this, i am ridiculously sorry for not making this clear. warren was NOT proposing. that was not an engagement ring. it was a promise ring. which is why he finally dropped the l-word. he already had the ring, and he was going to wait for a while. after all, they hadn't been together really long. but seeing will with samhain ariella made him see how much he wanted him in his life, and how much he never wanted to have to live without him.

as for will not wanting it to be special, thats because he didn't want warren saying he loves him to be special, because it was just another thing that would be them: no explanations, no complications (except for the baby thing; thats another thing altogether). their love is something that didn't need to be talked about, understand? they both know what they feel.

anyhow, if any of you think you liked the story better with warren having proposed--even though he's eighteen and will's sixteen--thats fine. you can ignore this. but i do have some plans for later chapters that i WILL write and post (although any marrieage is waaaaaay in the future), so it might not work. but until then, knock yourself out.

i'd be really grateful if a certain someone who leaves me EPIC reviews would turn on their pm thingy so i could write to you personally instead of making huge author's notes for you, but if you don't want to, thats fine. i respect your privacy, because god knows how much thats lacking nowadays.

anyhow, i'd also love if you guys could review this and tell me you understand, and that you all still love me, even though i suck and haven't updated. i haven't forgotten you guys, i swear. anyhow, i'd better go, cuz i have some hats with my name on them on ebay. also, i'm trying to write another song for an asshole of a guy i'm sort of kind of in l**e with;but i suck at titles. any title suggestions are love.

i love you all.


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